Introduction

Weight loss is being discussed everywhere and features in the national news regularly.

This heightened profile has resulted from the emergence of the GLP-1 group of drugs and because the NHS now provides treatment to a tightly defined group of people with severe obesity. The GLP-1s were initially licensed for type 2 (T2) diabetes treatment and later for weight loss (sometimes referred to as “weight loss jabs” or “skinny jabs”).

The combination of availability of the GLP-1s and publicity about them has ignited unprecedented interest and public demand. Indeed, demand is so high that an estimated 500,000 people are already regularly buying a GLP-1 privately in the UK from various sources.

At least 1,200 community pharmacies are providing a private weight management service with numbers increasing rapidly. Worldwide, many millions of people have taken and are taking GLP-1s.

In the UK, access to these medicines can range from face-to-face consultations with a healthcare professional (HCP) to completion of an online questionnaire. This means that the support received from HCPs can vary greatly, from in-depth consultations and follow-ups to little or no communication at all.

Some people will successfully lose weight and sustain it through lifestyle changes alone — but many do not. The vast majority who lose weight during any weight management intervention regain it, and often more weight, within one to five years.

‘Weight cycling’ has been independently linked to poorer health outcomes, no matter what the person’s starting weight was. This is why NICE’s updated 2025 Quality Standard (August 2025) discusses ‘wraparound care’ alongside medicines for weight management, focusing on diet, nutrition and increasing physical activity. It also requires patients to receive feedback and monitoring at regular intervals for a minimum of one year to monitor maintenance after completing their treatment.

Delivery of local and national interventions has already expanded to a range of options through face-to-face sessions, written information, follow-up phone calls/messages, use of digital intervention, step-down programmes and access to online materials.

Pharmacies have been advising on lifestyle and interventions in weight management for many years. There is a history of locally-commissioned pharmacy NHS weight management services in some areas as well as Healthy Living Pharmacy activities.

Any pilots of NHS-commissioned pharmacy weight management services in England will start in 2026 with roll-out further down the line. So there is potential for pharmacy teams to provide private services for the foreseeable future.