DAUK’s vice chair Dr Ellen Welch contributed to a national newspaper report on the demand for weight-loss treatment on the NHS.
The i Paper reported that GPs were ‘swamped’ with requests for Mounjaro, also as tirzepatide, in the first week since the NHS rollout.
It said hundreds of thousands of people taking Mounjaro privately, incorrectly assumed they could switch to an NHS prescription.
Mounjaro is an anti-diabetic drug that lowers blood sugar levels and slows down how quickly food is digested
Dr Welch, a GP in Cumbria, said ICBs should have been clear with patients about the eligibility criteria.
NHS weight-loss treatment
She said there was a limit on the number of patients in each area eligible for the NHS weight-loss treatment.
And she warned the strain on the system created by demand could mean delays for those who are eligible.
She said: “On Monday alone, we received around 50 enquires about tirzepatide – the majority from people already prescribed it privately, wishing to switch to an NHS supply.
“Almost all were from patients who didn’t meet the criteria for the initial roll out.”
Read the i Paper article in full.
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