Since the recent news regarding GPs prescribing the medication ‘Mounjaro’ for weight loss, the practice has been inundated with requests to commence the injections. We want to make all patients aware that for Coventry and Warwickshire there is incredibly strict criteria for those who are eligible. Currently we cannot directly prescribe these injections at the surgery.

In order to qualify a patient must have both:

1 – a BMI of 40 or over

2 – have four out of five of the following conditions: type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart and vascular disease, high cholesterol, and obstructive sleep apnoea

If a patient does qualify, the GP can then refer them to the Primary Weight Management Service. If they agree that a weight loss injection would be the best course of action, they will arrange the funding and start the process. We appreciate the wait times to get an appointment with these services can be very long, with current wait times being as long as a year in some cases. Unfortunately, we have no control over this, and we cannot overrule the mandated process.

If you think you may qualify, we are kindly asking patients to submit an e-consultation so we can accurately review each patient and to better manage the current high demand.

Please understand that the NHS is rolling these changes out in phases and things may change. For more detailed information on this and details on alternatives to NHS treatment, please visit the Happy Healthy Lives website.

We do offer weight management appointments at the surgery with our nursing and HCA team where you may be prescribed the medication ‘Orlistat’ if you are eligible. If you are interested, please contact the surgery.

We are encouraging patients who are aged 40 to 74 who are eligible but haven’t yet had an NHS health check to get booked in. The health check assesses your overall health and can tell you whether you’re at higher risk of getting certain health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, and stroke. The health check can teach you how to prevent your risk for these health problems and inform you on lifestyle changes with resources and advice. To book, contact the surgery and ask for an NHS health check. You will be asked to have a blood test first and then once your results are back you can book in for the health check.