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Weight loss medication

Posted By chamaeleonts38

"Weight loss medication"

About: Dietetics - East Ayrshire General practices in Ayrshire & Arran

(as a service user),

I suffer from a chronic pain and fatigue condition that leaves me with limited mobility and I also have Obstructive Sleep Apnoea. I contacted my GP recently to discuss weight loss medication to help me lose excess weight I have put on since diagnosis of the pain condition

Having lost half of my body weight before the pain and fatigue, I know what I need to do in diet but excessive hunger and limited exercise due to mobility make it hard, which is where GLP1 medicine would be exceptionally helpful and improve quality of life and reduce or eliminate co-morbidities which is not only better for my health but also saves the NHS money and resources long term. 

I was shocked to find out that NHS Ayrshire and Arran have placed a restriction on anybody outside of specialist weight loss services that prevents them prescribing these medicines, and at the same time the weight loss service is refusing new patients for these. Given obesity has such a massive impact on people and places such a burden on the NHS, I cannot understand the logic behind this decision.

Given that the NHS has, in my view, blamed everything and anything on patient's weight for decades, honestly it's absurd that now that it's not just thing to hand-wave away problems and pass blame to the patient, seemingly it's not important for the patient health. 

Frankly speaking, it's an unacceptable situation as a patient, and NHS Ayrshire and Arran should be making these available to all patients who fit the access criteria advised by the SMC immediately via GP services. 

I will be raising this with my MSP also as this is honestly baffling to see, given the impact obesity has on health and obesity related conditions have on NHS spending and resources.

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Responses

Response from Karen Lauder, Dietetic Service Manager - East, Dietetic, NHS Ayrshire and Arran last month
Karen Lauder
Dietetic Service Manager - East, Dietetic,
NHS Ayrshire and Arran

Submitted on 06/03/2025 at 15:30
Published on Care Opinion at 17:12

Hi Chamaeleonts38

Apologies for the delay in response and we acknowledge your frustration. The current situation regarding weight management medicines in NHS Ayrshire and Arran is detailed below.

The Scottish Government, in partnership with NHS health boards across Scotland, have recently developed guidance on priority groups for semaglutide (Wegovy®) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) for weight management. All NHS Boards across Scotland are now considering this guidance to develop local patient pathways and prescribing guidelines to safely and effectively support people who are eligible for these medicines. Until these have been agreed locally, these weight management medicines should not be prescribed by any service.

As soon as pathways and prescribing guidelines have been approved for use in NHS Ayrshire & Arran, information regarding how patients can access theses medicines will be made available.

In view of the above, currently NHS Ayrshire & Arran Adult Weight Management service is unable to accept referrals for eligible patients to be considered for any of these weight management medicines but is available to offer support and you can self-refer by calling 01563554574 or emailing Clinical_HealthyWeightAyrshire@aapct.scot.nhs.uk

Many thanks,

Karen Lauder

Dietetic Service Manager

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Update posted by chamaeleonts38 (a service user)

Hi Karen,

The response provided here really just repeats what is in my post. You say the medicines have 'just recently' been approved. In fact, they were approved by the Scottish Medicines Consortium in October 2023. It is now March 2025. By any account, I would find it difficult to call it a 'recent' decision. For clarity, it is approved as an adjunct to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity for weight management, including weight loss and weight maintenance, in adults with an initial Body Mass Index (BMI) of ≥30kg/m2 (obesity), or ≥27kg/m2 to <30kg/m2 (overweight) in the presence of at least one weight-related comorbidity.

How long does it take the NHS Ayrshire and Arran health board to decide on prescribing the medication when criteria have already been provided to you? If I were to take over a year to read a guidance document and publish a report that's basically a rehash of the document I have received, my manager would quite rightly have a few things to say... mainly "this isn't an acceptable output, you're going on a performance management plan"... assuming that I didn't just get my contract terminated.

Is there any information on when exactly a decision is due to be made? The lack of information is very frustrating.

Thanks.

Response from Karen Lauder, Dietetic Service Manager - East, Dietetic, NHS Ayrshire and Arran last month
Karen Lauder
Dietetic Service Manager - East, Dietetic,
NHS Ayrshire and Arran

Submitted on 07/03/2025 at 13:21
Published on Care Opinion at 14:22

Hi Chamaeleonts38

Thanks for writing back. The response above is in relation to the availability within the weight management service, which are not and will not be the prescribers of any weight management medication. The weight management service will be there to support only in line with the guidance when agreed locally. If you wish to know further about the medications specifically I would suggest you contact pharmacy/primary care who may be able to answer your question on when decisions are likely to be made. If you want to contact our service on 01563 554574 they can provide a contact in pharmacy to discuss with.

Many thanks

Karen Lauder

Dietetic Service Manager

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Response from Roisin Kavanagh, Director of Pharmacy, Pharmacy, NHS Ayrshire and Arran last month
Roisin Kavanagh
Director of Pharmacy, Pharmacy,
NHS Ayrshire and Arran

I am responsible for the pharmacy service in NHS Ayrshire and Arran

Submitted on 07/03/2025 at 14:36
Published on Care Opinion at 16:22

Dear Chamaeleonts38

I am sorry to hear about your current situation with regards to your health and the impact it is having on your wellbeing. If you would like to contact me directly at roisin.kavanagh@aapct.scot.nhs.uk with your contact details I can give you further information on what action is being taken to provide access to weight management medicines.

In addition to the SMC advice, there are national consensus guidelines that were published in September 2024 which describe a phased approach to implementation of SMC advice and NHS Ayrshire & Arran are working towards complying with these.

Kind regards

Roisin

Roisin Kavanagh

Director of Pharmacy and Controlled Drug Accountable Officer, NHS Ayrshire & Arran

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