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Mounjaro: Less than half of England has NHS access to jab months after roll-out, distressing patients and GPs

Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Mounjaro: Less than half of England has NHS access to jab months after roll-out, distressing patients and GPs Elisabeth MahaseLess than half of England has access to tirzepatide (Mounjaro) through general practices, despite the NHS roll-out of the weight-loss jab having officially started over two months ago, The BMJ can disclose.Just 18 of 42 commissioning bodies across the country confirmed that they had started prescribing tirzepatide in line with NHS England's primary care roll-out plan.The data, obtained through a freedom of information request, also show that, despite NHS England stating it expects 70% of eligible patients to come forward for treatment, only a fraction of integrated care boards (ICBs) have enough funding for that.Just nine ICBs confirmed that they had been allocated enough NHS funding to cover at least 70% of their eligible patients.Experts warned that the lack of funding and poor communication to the public about the roll-out were resulting in "distress and uncertainty both in patients and primary care" and had left ICBs in a difficult financial situation.Four ICBs reported that the NHS funding they had received covered just 25% or less of their eligible patients, with Coventry and Warwickshire faring the worst.That ICB told The BMJ it had received funding to cover just 376 patients, despite identifying 1795 eligible patients in the first year, meaning it can cover only 21% of its patients.
Source: BMJ
DOI: 10.1136/bmj.r1855
Language: English
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W4414028262
FWCI: 15.75
Cites: 6
Cited by: 13
Related to: 10