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The Government has today launched an £85 million programme to give people in the UK living with obesity access to support services in pharmacies and through other routes such as “digital platforms” and “local community-based access”.

Labour is inviting bids from integrated care boards and technology providers to pilot the initiative which will give patients “comprehensive holistic weight management support including a range of wraparound services”.

The Government is committing around £50 million for the scheme, which could start next summer, while the pharmaceutical company Lilly is investing £35 million in the form of grant funding. Labour said at least £10 million has been “earmarked” to support bids in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said “patient eligibility” for the service “will be decided by clinicians at local level, with all services adhering to national guidelines, NHS governance and clinical standards, ensuring a patient-centric approach aligned to local need”.

However, pharmacies across the country already provide weight management support including lifestyle advice and Labour’s plan is short on detail about what exactly pharmacy teams will be doing as part of its obesity programme.

The DHSC said “innovative models of care for people living with obesity, outside of existing specialist weight management services” will be rolled out “to increase capacity and avoid those services being overburdened”.

“A central part of this programme will be finding new ways to deliver obesity care that are accessible to everyone who can benefit from them, regardless of their background,” it said.

The DHSC also said obesity treatments could “potentially” be provided as part of “a range of wraparound services”.

Lilly: Obesity programme ‘completely unrelated’ to our obesity medicine

Independent Community Pharmacist has asked the DHSC to clarify;

•       If participating pharmacies will provide weight loss jabs such as Mounjaro, Ozempic and Wegovy when the programme starts in the summer of 2026. Or if pharmacies will only provide Mounjaro given its manufacturer Lilly is part-funding the programme.
•       If pharmacies will provide Lilly’s daily obesity pill orforglipron, which is currently being trialled and has not been licenced but could be available next year.
• How much funding each participating pharmacy will receive to provide care under Labour’s obesity programme.

When asked if it is paying the Government to push its Mounjaro jabs and possibly orforglipron through pharmacies as part of the programme, Lilly told ICP the scheme “is completely unrelated” to its obesity medicine and its grants “will not fund purchasing or prescribing of specific medicines”.

A Lilly spokesperson said: “The aim of the programme is to facilitate the development of innovative models of care for obesity across the UK, to enhance the support available to individuals living with obesity.

“The programme could make it easier for patients to access holistic obesity care, which could include access to medicines and other treatments for eligible patients, as deemed clinically appropriate by their healthcare professional. This is agnostic of which treatment and there is no link to Lilly’s medicines.”

Numark: Pharmacies are uniquely placed to deliver the service

Numark chair Harry McQuillan told ICP the programme is “ideally suited for community pharmacy involvement” and is “an important step in expanding access to weight management support across our communities”.

“Pharmacists and their teams are uniquely placed to deliver this service,” he said. “As highly accessible healthcare professionals, they already provide trusted advice, regular health interventions, and continuity of care to millions of people every year.

“This service recognises their critical role in supporting healthier lifestyles and tackling one of the most pressing public health issues we face.”

NPA: Funding must cover pharmacies’ costs

National Pharmacy Association chief executive Henry Gregg welcomed the programme but insisted “any funding made available is sufficient to cover the costs involved for pharmacies to provide wraparound care and support”.

“Obesity is the single biggest health challenge facing our country, and if we are serious about tackling it, pharmacies must be empowered to play a central role in the solution,” he said.

Gregg added: “With the right funding, pharmacies can scale up delivery quickly, ensuring more people get the help they need, when and where they need it.”