The UK government has launched a new £85 million programme to expand access to weight management care through pharmacies and online platforms, aiming to reduce the burden on GP services and improve patient safety. The initiative provides up to £50 million in government funding, with an additional £35 million in grants from pharmaceutical company Lilly, supporting services such as in-person pharmacy consultations, digital platforms, and obesity treatments.
NHS organisations across the UK will be invited to apply for a share of this funding and submit innovative care models to support people living with obesity. At least £10 million has already been allocated to proposals in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The programme aligns with the government’s 10-year health strategy, which seeks to shift patient care from hospitals to community settings, integrate digital services, and prioritize prevention. Eligible patients could access these services as early as summer 2026.
Louise Fullwood of Pinsent Masons highlighted that the programme continues the trend of using pharmacies as frontline primary care providers. During the pandemic, pharmacies demonstrated their ability to support patients effectively, and the new programme leverages this expertise alongside digital tools to ease pressure on GP practices.
Since 2023, legal powers for pharmacists in England and Northern Ireland have expanded to allow direct prescribing of certain medicines, reducing GP demand. Scotland and Wales have similarly empowered pharmacies to manage common clinical conditions and an extended range of prescriptions in recent years.
Fullwood emphasized that in-person pharmacy consultations enhance patient safety, particularly for weight loss drugs and injections that are still being sold illegally online. Ensuring patients are properly assessed in person helps prevent inappropriate prescribing, reduces risks of injury, and strengthens oversight. Regulatory bodies such as the MHRA and General Pharmaceutical Council have issued guidance warning against purchasing weight management medicines outside licensed healthcare channels and encouraging pharmacies to verify online prescriptions.
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