College Chair Kamila Hawthorne has featured widely in the national press and broadcast media responding to the phased roll-out of Mounjaro prescriptions by NHS England in general practice - taking place from today for patients who meet certain clinical criteria. 

Professor Kamila Hawthorne, Chair of the Royal College of GPs, said: “While we recognise the potential benefits of weight loss drugs being prescribed in line with NICE guidance, we know many GPs are concerned about the implications of the rollout of weight loss drugs into general practice, both in terms of workload and training to appropriately initiate and manage these treatments. The College shares these concerns, which is why we were pleased NHS England suggested a phased roll-out of Mounjaro as a treatment for weight loss; as and when this is escalated, appropriate resourcing for general practice - including access to 'wraparound' services - and training for GPs must follow.

“The interim guidance from NHS England is a good start, and we note the different possible delivery models. There is a potential role for GPs in supporting any model but what’s vital is that GPs are communicated with and guidance updated as more patients become eligible for this treatment. Similarly, GPs need to be provided with appropriate training to ensure clinical safety in the use of this new medication, to address sustaining weight loss and monitoring arrangements, and to promote a holistic approach that considers lifestyle and simple nutrition advice. GPs and our teams are already working under intense workload and workforce pressures, and this must be factored into this roll out in order to guarantee it can be delivered safely. 

“More widely, whilst weight loss medications have a lot of potential benefits for patients who are struggling to lose weight and who meet all the clinical criteria for a prescription, they mustn’t be seen as a ‘silver bullet’ to aid weight loss. We also need to see a focus on prevention, stopping people becoming overweight in the first place so they don’t require a medical intervention later.

“There is no one-size fits all approach to tackling obesity and as with any medication, weight-loss drugs do not come without risk, and can cause side-effects which range in seriousness. As such, it’s vital that the roll out of weight loss medications as a treatment for obesity does not come at the expense of other weight loss services, as what works for one patient will not work for another, and we need to be able to offer a range of interventions to find the right one.

“The roll-out of weight loss medications in the NHS will need to be consistently evaluated to ensure that there is evidence that these prescriptions are of long-term benefit to patients.”

Further information

RCGP press office: 0203 188 7659

press@rcgp.org.uk

Notes to editors

The Royal College of General Practitioners is a network of more than 54,000 family doctors working to improve care for patients. We work to encourage and maintain the highest standards of general medical practice and act as the voice of GPs on education, training, research and clinical standards.