“Many pharmacies provide a weight management service to support people to lose weight, especially if they are at risk of having a stroke or developing other serious conditions such as Type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease and some types of cancer”
The benefits of losing weight can be profound for mental and physical wellbeing.
Many pharmacies provide a weight management service to support people to lose weight, especially if they are at risk of having a stroke or developing other serious conditions such as Type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease and some types of cancer.
Some community pharmacies work in partnership with popular weight management clinics and can refer people to them. Others provide their own weight loss services which may include incentive schemes, exercise prescriptions or medication.
If appropriate, a pharmacist may be able to offer clinically proven medication to help lose weight, making sure it is suitable for a patient’s particular needs and that it does not interact with other medicines they may already be taking.
Your pharmacy team understands that weight loss is part of a journey towards a healthier lifestyle, not just a short-term fix.
Around two-thirds of adults are above a healthy weight, and of these half are living with obesity.
The NHS spends £6 billion per year treating obesity-related ill-health.
NHS Digital Weight Management Programme
In 2020, the UK government launched a strategy for empowering adults and children to tackle obesity. It included new measures on food labelling and extra investment in weight management services. Amongst the new NHS measures, a free online weight loss programme which people can now access via referral from community pharmacies.
This programme could help you if you are living with obesity and also have diabetes, high blood pressure, or both. The 12-week programme is free and available via a smartphone, tablet or computer.
It gives free, online access to weight management plans if you have a BMI over 30 and have diabetes or high blood pressure or both.
The BMI threshold is 27.5 for people from black, Asian and ethnic mnority backgrounds. This is because people from these backgrounds are at an increased risk of conditions such as type 2 diabetes at a lower BMI.
You will only be able to access the NHS Digital Weight Management Programme if you have a smartphone or computer with internet access.
What does the programme involve?
You will choose a weight management plan to help you develop healthier eating habits, be more active and lose weight. Each plan includes recipes and nutrition advice, wellbeing support and tips to boost activity levels. It can be completed anywhere in your own time.
How to start the programme
To start your journey to a healthier lifestyle, speak to your GP or a local pharmacist who can refer you to the programme.
Who can be referred to the programme?
✚ You must be 18 or over.
✚ You must have a BMI greater than 30. The BMI threshold is 27.5 for people from black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds. These groups are at an increased risk of conditions such as Type 2 diabetes at a lower BMI.
✚ You must have diabetes, high blood pressure, or both.
✚ You must have a smartphone, tablet, or computer with internet access.
Speak to your GP practice or local pharmacist to discover how the programme could benefit you.
After your referral, you will receive a text message within two working days from ‘NHS WMP’. The text message contains a link to a website.
Click on the link to the website to confirm your date of birth, ethnicity and some other information to get started.
You can then read about the different 12-week weight management plans on offer to help you. Choose the plan that suits you best. If you do not choose your plan after six weeks, your referral is sent back to the referring healthcare professional.
Once you have chosen a plan, your chosen weight management plan provider will contact you within five working days. You will then start your 12-week weight management plan.
Weight-loss jabs
Weight-loss jabs are injectable medications used for weight management that work by reducing food cravings. They are only available to obese patients who have a weight-related health condition and are under the care of a specialist.
Earlier this year, the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) issued updated guidance setting out additional safeguards around medicines used for weight management.
Weight-loss jabs will now require stricter prescribing criteria for online pharmacies. In person or video consultations will be required, to verify patient body mass index (BMI), along with information from GP or medical records.