New medication for weight loss: Tirzepatide (Mounjaro®)

Please do not contact your GP to request it — you’ll be contacted directly if you’re eligible when the service becomes available in your area.
We expect most GPs to begin offering tirzepatide(Mounjaro®) to eligible patients over the summer of 2025, but a wider rollout may take longer.

The NHS needs time to safely introduce this new service, train healthcare staff, and manage demand.

A staged rollout allows those with the greatest clinical need to be prioritised first and ensures safe and sustainable delivery.

We’re developing a new approach to provide access to tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) through GP practices.

• We’re making sure GPs and other services are trained and ready to support and safely prescribe this new medication.
• We’re mapping out all weight management services available in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire to help people find the right support for their needs.

Patients can continue taking tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) if they are prescribed it by the NHS to manage their diabetes.
If patients are using tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) bought privately, they may be able to access the medication through an NHS prescription if they meet the NHS qualifying criteria.
It is important your GP is aware you are taking tirzepatide (Mounjaro®), if it hasn’t been prescribed by the NHS, as it may impact your health and other treatments.

Standard NHS prescription charges will apply, unless you qualify for free prescriptions (e.g. with a medical exemption certificate).

Tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) will initially be introduced in stages over three years:

Year 1 (2025):

• Adults with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 40 or more, and
• Four or more weight-related health conditions (see list below)

Year 2:

• Adults with a BMI between 35 and 39.9, and
• Four or more weight-related health conditions

Year 3:

• Adults with a BMI of 40 or more, and
• Three or more weight-related health conditions

Adjusted BMI threshold  for certain ethnic backgrounds

For people from South Asian, Chinese, other Asian, Middle Eastern, Black African or African-Caribbean backgrounds, BMI thresholds are 2.5 units lower, due to a higher risk of health problems at lower body weights.

To be eligible in year 1 (2025/2026), you must have four or more of the following health conditions). All conditions must be confirmed by a healthcare professional:

• Type 2 diabetes
• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• Heart disease caused by narrowed or blocked arteries (atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease)
• Obstructive sleep apnoea
• Abnormal blood fats (dyslipidaemia)

Tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) is a GLP-1/GIP agonist. Like semaglutide (Wegovy®) and liraglutide (Saxenda®), it mimics gut hormones released after eating, helping you feel full, slowing stomach emptying, and improving blood sugar control.
Until now, most of these medicines have been used in the NHS to treat diabetes.
Tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) must be prescribed alongside a support programme to help with behavioural change, diet and physical activity. It is a weekly self-injection.
More information can be found on Gov.uk.

Like all medications, tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) can cause side effects. These will be discussed with you by a healthcare professional and are also listed in the Patient Information Leaflet. Common side effects include:

• Feeling sick
• Indigestion (heartburn)
• Constipation

More serious side effects may include:

• Low blood sugar
• Gallstones
• Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)

Report any side effects using the Yellow Card Scheme (the UK’s medicine safety system).

NICE guidance recommends stopping the medication if you do not lose at least 5% of your body weight after six months on the highest dose you can manage.
There is no fixed maximum treatment duration — ongoing use will be reviewed with your healthcare professional.

Tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) should not be used during pregnancy or just before trying to conceive, due to a lack of safety data.
There is specific information about how these medications affect contraceptive methods. See the “Patient Information GLP-1 agonists and contraception” leaflet by the Faculty for Sexual and Reproductive Health.

Tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) can affect the absorption of other medications, which might change how well they work.
Before starting, a healthcare professional will check what medicines you’re taking.
You may need dose adjustments if your long-term conditions (like high blood pressure) improve.
Be honest about all medicines you take, including over-the-counter products.

Even though tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) may not be available to you, you can still access these services:

• NHS Better Health – Advice and tools to help eat better, move more, and lose weight.
• NHS Digital Weight Management Programme – Free online support for those with obesity and either diabetes or high blood pressure (ask your GP or pharmacy about referral).
• Council-backed support to get moving more
  • Bristol City Council
  • Better Health North Somerset
  • One You South Gloucestershire