Advice on the prescribing of GLP1-agonist injections for Weight Management

 

We kindly ask that you do not contact the surgery requesting GLP1-agonists such as Semaglutide (Wegovy®), Liraglutide (Saxenda®) or Tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) for the purpose of weight loss. These medications are prescribed only by specialists for their intended use in the management of obesity for eligible patients. Unfortunately, GPs are not able to prescribe these medications.

Licensing and NICE Recommendations

Liraglutide (Saxenda®) and Semaglutide (Wegovy®) are licensed for use in certain patients with a BMI >35 and non-diabetic hyperglycaemia. These medications are recommended by NICE under the following guidelines:

Local Prescribing Pathway

A locally agreed pathway is currently being established which will allow prescribing of these treatments through secondary care (hospital) weight management clinics. However, this will only be possible for patients who meet the current referral criteria for weight management services.

  • Eligible patients will receive support and may be prescribed these treatments for up to 2 years under this pathway.
  • Patients who do not meet the criteria will not be able to access this treatment on the NHS at this time.

Current Status of Weight Management Referrals

At this time, we regret to inform you that Tier 3 and Tier 4 weight management referrals to the North Bristol NHS Trust are closed for new patients.

However, we are pleased to inform you that Oviva is now open to new Tier 3 referrals for eligible patients. Oviva is one of the organisations recommended by NICE and offers a remote Tier 3 weight management service. 

For more information on their service and to find out whether you are eligible, please visit Oviva's Specialist Weight Management.   

Important Information About Oviva

Before considering a referral to Oviva, please note the following:

  • The Oviva service is aimed solely at patients on the medical pathway (those not seeking bariatric surgery).
  • Support is provided remotely via an app or by telephone, so patients will need access to a smart device or telephone to engage with the program.
  • If you are on the waiting list for North Bristol NHS Trust Weight Management Service, you may transfer to Oviva at any time. Please contact the NBT team directly to initiate the transfer.

For further details, please view the Oviva patient website here.

Eligibility for Referral to Oviva

Patients must meet the following criteria for a Tier 3 referral to Oviva:

  • BMI of 40 or over, or BMI of 35 or over with co-morbidities and;
  • Patients must have engaged with community weight services for at least 2 years (please provide dates as evidence) and have attended a Tier 2 Weight Management service unless your BMI is 50 or greater.

Please only contact the surgery to request a referral if you are eligible for their service. Patients with a BMI of 50 or over may be referred directly to Oviva without Tier 2 compliance evidence.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Yours sincerely,
Downend Health Group

Published: Sep 20, 2024

Facebook