Weight management in Greater Manchester
Support with weight management
The NHS provides a wide range of advice and tools to support healthy weight loss.
We understand that many people are looking for support in managing their weight.
Here in Greater Manchester, we’re working hard to improve access to services and new treatments for people living with obesity.
Weight-management medicines on the NHS
A small number of medicines are approved for use on the NHS to support weight loss, alongside lifestyle and behavioural support. These include tirzepatide (Mounjaro®), semaglutide (Wegovy®) and liraglutide (including branded product Saxenda® and generic versions).
Access to these medicines depends on national guidance, local commissioning arrangements and individual clinical eligibility.
Currently, most new NHS weight-management prescribing in Greater Manchester is focused on tirzepatide, which is why this page provides more detailed information about this medicine.
New Medication for Weight Loss: Tirzepatide (Mounjaro®)
What is tirzepatide (Mounjaro®)?
- Tirzepatide (brand name Mounjaro®) is a new medication recently recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for some adults living with obesity.
- It helps reduce hunger, increases feeling of fullness, and supports weight loss by helping you eat less and improving how your body uses food and controls blood sugar.
- Tirzepatide is given as a weekly injection, which you can administer yourself.
- Tirzepatide must be prescribed as part of a support programme, also known as wraparound care. This includes advice on healthy eating, physical activity, and lifestyle changes.
- You must agree to take part in this support in order to receive the medication.
Important: Tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) is not available to everyone right away.
It will be rolled out gradually across England, starting with eligible people who meet the specific clinical criteria in cohort one (who have been determined to have the most urgent need).
Eligibility is based on Body Mass Index (BMI) and certain health conditions.
We know that managing weight can be incredibly challenging, and many people are asking about Mounjaro (tirzepatide) after hearing about how effective it can be in helping with weight loss.
As your Integrated Care Board (ICB), as well as following the national guidance, we also have to make sure treatments are used fairly and within the budget we have available for our whole population.
We understand that this might feel frustrating, especially when private options are being advertised.
Stopping Tirzepatide if you do not meet NHS criteria
Tirzepatide can only be prescribed on the NHS in Greater Manchester if you meet the strict eligibility criteria.
If tirzepatide has been prescribed outside of these criteria, your clinical team will need to review your treatment and may stop your prescription. This is to make sure that:
- medicines are used safely and fairly,
- NHS resources are focused on patients most likely to benefit, and
- all patients across GM are treated consistently.
We understand this may be disappointing. If your treatment is stopped, you will still receive support with your weight management or diabetes care through other NHS services.
If your circumstances change in the future and you become eligible for tirzepatide under NHS rules, your clinical team will review your case again.
What happens when tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) is stopped?
If your NHS prescription for tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) is stopped, this information below explains why this can happen, what you might notice, and what support is available.
Why might tirzepatide be stopped?
Tirzepatide can only be prescribed on the NHS if you meet specific national and local eligibility criteria. It is not available to everyone.
Your healthcare team may stop tirzepatide for one or more of the following reasons:
- you do not meet the NHS eligibility criteria (to ensure treatment is offered fairly and consistently across Greater Manchester);
- the treatment is not helping as expected, for example if sufficient weight loss is not achieved;
- you experience side effects that mean continuing treatment is not appropriate;
- tirzepatide is no longer clinically the right treatment for you ; or
- the commissioned treatment period has ended. In Greater Manchester, NHS weight-management services are currently commissioned for up to two years, and usually the treatment will need to be stopped after this time.
Stopping treatment is not a judgement about your effort or commitment.
What to expect after stopping tirzepatide
Tirzepatide leaves the body gradually.
Around 3–5 weeks after your final dose, some people notice:
- increased hunger or appetite;
- feeling full for less time;
- small changes in weight (often up to around 5%).
This is normal and does not mean you have failed. Managing weight is a long-term process, and it is common to need different types of support at different times.
Some people may also notice changes in their energy levels or mood as their body adjusts.
Important information for people with type 2 diabetes
If you have type 2 diabetes, stopping tirzepatide may affect your blood glucose (sugar) levels, even if it was prescribed for weight management.
Your healthcare professional will discuss with you whether any other glucose-lowering medicines need to be adjusted when tirzepatide is stopped, and whether you would benefit from a diabetes review. Everyone with diabetes should have a review with a healthcare professional periodically, and at least once a year.
If you are concerned about weight gain, you may wish to ask your healthcare professional about referral to local or digital weight-management programmes, or to a type 2 diabetes remission programme, if this is relevant for you.
You may also find type 2 diabetes education courses helpful, particularly if you have not attended one for some time.
Find further information about blood glucose management and advice on weight management for people with type 2 diabetes.
Practical tips to help manage hunger and maintain weight
Some people find the following helpful after stopping treatment:
- Check your hunger – is it “head hunger” (boredom or stress) or “tummy hunger”? Try a glass of water and wait 15 minutes.
- Keep active – move more and sit less; reducing long periods of sitting really helps.
- Plan regular meals, including breakfast, to reduce grazing.
- Choose simple meals with mostly minimally processed foods.
- Prioritise protein (e.g. chicken, fish, eggs, beans, lentils, tofu).
- Fill half your plate with vegetables.
- Drink mainly water – some people find around 500 ml before meals helps.
- Eat mindfully – slow down and pause between bites.
- Limit alcohol, especially on an empty stomach.
- Ask for support – progress is not about perfection; consistency matters most.
Support with activity and motivation
If tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) is not suitable for you, or if your treatment has been stopped, there is a wide range of free NHS and local authority support available across Greater Manchester to help with weight management, physical activity and healthier lifestyle changes.
Some services allow self-referral, while others can be accessed through:
- your GP practice,
- a community pharmacy, or
- another healthcare professional.
Support may include lifestyle and behavioural programmes, diet and nutrition advice, physical activity support, and specialist weight-management services for people with more complex needs.
Bury
Bolton
Manchester
Oldham
Rochdale
Salford
Stockport
Tameside
Trafford
Wigan
In addition to locality-based services, there are Greater Manchester–wide initiatives that support physical activity and healthier habits:
- Bee Active – Active travel (walking and cycling)
- GM Walking – community walking groups and the annual GM Walking Festival
- Social prescribing services – link workers who connect people to local activities and support
- Green Social Prescribing – GM Nature for Health
- Slimming World – Greater Manchester (local groups)
- NHS Better Health
Advice, tools and a free 12-week NHS Weight Loss Plan to help you eat better, move more and lose weight. - NHS Digital Weight Management Programme
If you have obesity and type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure (or both), you may be eligible for a free online programme.
Ask your GP practice or community pharmacy about referral.
Details of the Greater Manchester NHS Weight Management Pathway and how services fit together can be found here.
Protect yourself: don’t buy weight-loss injection medicines from unregulated sellers
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has warned about the dangers of buying weight loss medicines without a prescription. Not only is it illegal to sell medicines this way, but it also puts your health at serious risk.
Weight-loss injection medicines, including tirzepatide and GLP-1 medicines such as semaglutide and liraglutide, are particularly targeted by counterfeiters. There have been reports of people experiencing serious side effects after using fake or unregulated products.
Why this is dangerous
Without proper medical supervision, using weight-loss medicines can lead to:
- Severe side effects from the wrong dosage
- Dangerous reactions from counterfeit or unregulated products
- Increased risk of dependency or misuse
Weight-loss injections should only be used after talking to a qualified healthcare professional. They should be given in the right way, such as with a prescription from a registered prescriber or provided by a registered pharmacy.
Buying medicines from unregulated sellers, such as beauty salons, via social media, from unverified websites, or without a prior consultation with a healthcare professional, makes it much more likely that the product is unsafe or fake. In many cases, selling prescription-only medicines in this way is illegal.
Key things to know
- Genuine weight-loss injection medicines come in pre-filled injection pens.
- Products sold as powders in vials that need mixing are not authorised and can be highly dangerous.
- Some counterfeit pre-filled pens look genuine but may contain unsafe or incorrect ingredients.
The only safe way to get genuine weight-loss medicine is through a regulated healthcare provider, with appropriate prescribing and supply (including registered pharmacies, also those trading online).When you see your GP, always tell them about every medicine you are taking, including any purchased online, so they can make sure your treatment is safe.
Please see our FAQ below to find out how to check if a pharmacy is legitimate.
Frequently Asked Questions
GPs across Greater Manchester are inviting eligible patients for assessments to confirm their interest in starting a weight loss medication pathway. This pathway includes personalised support focusing on diet, nutrition, and increasing physical activity.
In some areas, GP practices are directly delivering the service and prescribing tirzepatide. In other areas, patients may be referred to specialist providers, such as Specialist Weight Management service or local GP federations, to access both the medication and the tailored support available.
Please do not contact your GP to request it — you’ll be contacted directly if you’re eligible when the service becomes available in your area.
Tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) will be introduced in stages over three years:
Year 1 (2025/26)
Adults with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 40 or more, and
Four or more weight-related health conditions (see list below)
Year 2 (2026/27)
Adults with a BMI between 35 and 39.9, and
Four or more weight-related health conditions
Year 3 (2027/28)
Adults with a BMI of 40 or more, and
Three or more weight-related health conditions
Adjusted criteria for certain ethnic backgrounds
For people from South Asian, Chinese, other Asian, Middle Eastern, Black African or African-Caribbean backgrounds, BMI thresholds are 2.5 units lower, due to a higher risk of health problems at lower body weights.
In Greater Manchester, the service will be introduced in phases during the first year. People at greater health risk, starting with those who have a BMI of 50 or above, will be contacted and offered the service first.
To be eligible, you must have four or more of the following health conditions (or three in Year 3). All conditions must be confirmed by a healthcare professional.
- Type 2 diabetes
- High blood pressure (hypertension)
- Heart disease caused by narrowed or blocked arteries (atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease)
- Obstructive sleep apnoea
- Abnormal blood fats (dyslipidaemia)
The NHS needs time to safely introduce this new service, train healthcare staff, and manage demand.
A gradual rollout means people with the greatest health needs are helped first, and it makes sure the treatment is given safely and can continue over time.
Wraparound care is the name given to the support programme that must be provided alongside tirzepatide (Mounjaro®).
This includes:
- Advice on healthy eating and nutrition.
- Support to increase physical activity.
- Help with making long-term lifestyle changes.
You must agree to take part in this support programme in order to be prescribed tirzepatide (Mounjaro®).
Standard NHS prescription charges apply, unless you’re exempt (e.g. with a medical exemption certificate).
We’re developing and implementing a new model of care for NHS weight management in Greater Manchester.
This includes:
- enrolling the new service and inviting eligible patients to assessment and treatment;
- providing access to tirzepatide through GP practices, with community pharmacy involvement also being considered;
- ensuring GPs and other services are trained and ready to support patients and prescribe this medicine safely; and
- mapping and coordinating weight-management services across Greater Manchester to help people find the right support for their needs.
The new model of care is being introduced in phases to make sure it is delivered safely, fairly and sustainably.
Even if tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) is not suitable for you, there is a wide range of free NHS and local authority and community weight-management support available across Greater Manchester.
This includes local services in your area, Greater Manchester–wide initiatives, and national NHS programmes.
Details of available support and how to access it can be found in the support section above.
The SURMOUNT-REAL UK trial was announced in October 2024 and has began in Greater Manchester.
Research trials have clear rules about who can take part and how people are chosen, so the results are fair and accurate.
Participants cannot self-enrol to SURMOUNT-REAL UK. Eligible participants will be identified and invited to take part by the study team.
For more information please visit ClinicalTrials.gov
The weight loss medicine tirzepatide also known as Mounjaro ® is a GLP-1/GIP agonist. Other medications such as semaglutide (Wegovy ®), liraglutide (Saxenda ®), are known as GLP-1 agonists. They mimic gut hormones released by the body after eating, telling the brain you are full, they also slow down the time it takes the stomach to empty and help control blood sugar levels.
Until now most of these medicines have been used in the NHS to treat diabetes, to help control blood sugar levels helping improve diabetes and other health conditions.
Tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) can only be prescribed by a healthcare professional alongside programmes that support people to lose weight and live healthier lives, by making changes to their diet and physical activity. Tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) is an injection, that you inject yourself once a week.
More information can be found on the Gov.uk website.
Like all medications, tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) can cause side effects and healthcare professionals should discuss the side effects with you before you start treatment. The medication will also come with a Patient Information Leaflet which lists known side effects.
Common side effects may include:
- feeling sick ( nausea)
- indigestion (heartburn)
- constipation
Less common but more serious side effects include:
- low blood sugar,
- gallstones and
- inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis).
In some cases pancreatitis can have serious or fatal outcomes.
MHRA safety update:
Seek urgent medical advice if you experience severe and persistent pain in your abdomen (stomach), which may spread to your back and maybe accompanied by nausea or vomiting as this could be a sign of pancreatitis.
A healthcare professional will advise you whether you should continue or stop taking tirzepatide.
Always tell your healthcare professional if you have ever had pancreatitis.
Tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) is a new medication, so any side effects should be reported through the Yellow Card Scheme, which is the government system used for recording side effects with medicines in the UK.
NICE guidance recommends if you do not lose enough weight (5%) after 6 months of being on the highest dose you can manage, tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) should be stopped. This is because the medication is not working as well as it should be for you.
In Greater Manchester, tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) for weight management is currently provided through NHS weight-management services, including primary care and specialist services, which are funded for a time-limited period of up to two years. The treatment will usually be checked often during this time to make sure it is helping, is safe, and is still right for the person.
What happens after this funded period will depend on individual clinical circumstances, national guidance and local commissioning arrangements. Your healthcare professional will discuss with you whether continuing treatment is right for you, or whether other weight-management support options would be more suitable.
Tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) should not be taken during pregnancy or just before trying to get pregnant. This is because there is not enough safety data to know whether taking the medicine can cause harm to the baby.
There is specific information about how these medications affect contraceptive methods, like the pill. The Faculty for Sexual and Reproductive Health has produced an information leaflet for patients to read called Patient Information GLP1 agonists and contraception.
Tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) can affect the absorption of other medications being taken. In some cases, this may affect how well and/or how fast those medications work; or it may make no difference. For this reason it is particularly important that patients receive follow up care and advice from a healthcare professional.
This medication is still relatively new, and the healthcare community are learning about how tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) interacts with other medications, for example HRT.
Before starting the medicine, a healthcare professional will check which other medications you are taking to see if there may be any medicine interactions and to see if they are compatible when taken together. While taking the medicine, some people may find that their long-term health conditions (like high blood pressure) improve, and they might need less medication. Your healthcare professional will talk to you about this, any monitoring that might need to happen and make any necessary changes to your treatment.
It is important to be honest with the healthcare professional if you are eligible for the medication. Let them know about any medical conditions, other medicines you are taking, the dose and if you buy any medication over the counter. This information will need to be considered before you are prescribed tirzepatide (Mounjaro®).
Patients can continue taking tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) if they are prescribed it by the NHS to manage their diabetes. If you have any questions, contact a suitable healthcare professional.
If patients are using tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) bought privately, they may be able to access the medication through an NHS prescription if they meet the NHS qualifying criteria at the point of transition. It is important your GP is aware you are taking tirzepatide (Mounjaro®), if it hasn’t been prescribed by the NHS, as it may impact on your health and any other treatments you are having or may need.
Patients will not automatically transfer from a waiting list. Those who meet the eligibility criteria will be invited into their GP practice for assessment to confirm eligibility. If appropriate, patients may then receive treatment in a different care setting, such as through primary care.
To make sure you’re buying safely:
- For pharmacies in Great Britain: check the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) register.
- For pharmacies in Northern Ireland: check the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland (PSNI) register.
- Read the General Pharmaceutical Council’s guide on staying safe when buying medicines or treatment online.
- Visit the FakeMeds website for tools and resources to help you spot and avoid fake medicines.
Remember: The safest way to protect your health is to only buy medicines with a prescription, from a registered pharmacy.
What’s next?
NHS Greater Manchester is working with GP practices to identify eligible patients with the highest BMIs and health risks. Invitations to the service come directly from your GP practice.
Please do not contact your surgery at this time to request the service – you will be contacted if you are eligible.
A wraparound care support programme will also be provided alongside tirzepatide (Mounjaro®). This includes:
- Advice on healthy eating and nutrition
- Support to increase physical activity
- Help with making long-term lifestyle changes
You must agree to take part in this support programme in order to be prescribed tirzepatide (Mounjaro®).
Thank you for your patience as we work to bring this new treatment to those who need it most. Our priority is to ensure safe, fair, and effective care for everyone in Greater Manchester.
Advice for people stopping tirzepatide (Mounjaro®)
A printable guide explaining what to expect when treatment is stopped, common changes people may notice, and practical tips to help manage appetite and weight changes. It also signposts to local, Greater Manchester–wide and national support services.
If you do not have access to digital services, you can ask your GP practice or community pharmacy for a printed copy.
