As part of the 2026/27 Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF), starting from April, the government will introduce an annual incentive payment of £3,000 to ensure that GPs prescribe the maximum number of eligible patients Mounjaro.
The majority of weight loss medication is accessed privately, and new data from The Health Foundation analysed the inequalities in access to private GLP-1 weight loss drugs. The data found that people in the most deprived areas were accessing 32% fewer GLP-1 prescriptions than those in the least deprived.
The government’s initiative aims to improve access to weight loss care and reduce the socio-economic inequalities.
Health secretary Wes Streeting said: "Weight loss drugs can be a real game changer for those who need them. I'm determined that access should be based on need, not ability to pay.
"Outside the NHS, we've seen those who can spare the cash buying privately, and the proliferation of rogue prescribers peddling dangerous unlicensed drugs that are putting patients at risk.
"Investing in general practice will help bring this modern medicine to the many, not just the few, and help shift the focus of the NHS from treatment to prevention."
This framework is part of a £25 million ring-fenced funding, and GPs can also receive up to an additional £1,000 for referring patients to weight loss programmes.
This incentive will only apply to Mounjaro, which is prescribed by GPs for weight loss; this initiative will not apply to prescription of the new generation GLP-1 Wegovy, which is prescribed by specialist NHS weight loss services.
Ongoing counterfeit crisis
As the demand for GLP-1 medication increases and medications become more widely discussed, there is also a heightened risk of counterfeit drugs and unregulated prescribers.
As Wes Streeting highlighted, there are concerns around “rogue prescribers” and dangerous, unlicensed weight loss products. As the demand for weight loss medications increases, patients who are ineligible to access medication on the NHS could turn toward unsafe online sources or non-medical providers.
Aesthetic professionals should:
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Ensure prescribing is medically appropriate
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Source medication through regulated UK supply chains
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Educate patients about the dangers of counterfeit GLP-1 medication
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Uphold high standards of governance and documentation
What this means for aesthetic professionals
Until now, much of the access to weight loss medications has been supported by private clinics. With GP practices receiving £3,000 annually to maximise prescribing to eligible patients, access through the NHS will expand.
However, NHS prescribing is based on strict obesity thresholds, and access has been restricted to patients with both a BMI of over 40 and certain health conditions.
Next year, the criteria will be widened, and patients with a BMI of over 35 could be eligible for Mounjaro on the NHS.
These restrictions could mean that many patients with a lower BMI may still turn to private providers meaning that It is vital that practitioners continuously support patients through a comprehensive weight management journey, providing education around weight loss medications.
Rapid weight loss can also result in patients turning to aesthetic clinics with concerns surrounding skin laxity.
Aesthetic professionals can treat the results of rapid weight loss and support patients holistically by:
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Ongoing monitoring of weight, health and wellbeing
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Nutritional guidance or referral pathways
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Education around realistic treatment expectations
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Post-weight-loss treatment planning
The future of weight management in aesthetics is not solely about who can prescribe GLP-1 medications, but rather about patient support, ethical treatment, and sustainable weight loss.
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