Wes Streeting: Weight-loss jabs are the ‘talk of the House of Commons tea rooms'
Currently, the National Health Service (NHS) offers these prescriptions through specialist weight-management services. Eligibility is restricted to individuals with a body mass index (BMI) of 35 or more, or those with a BMI of 30 who also have a linked health condition.
Other people are paying hundreds of pounds a month to get the jabs privately.
Mr Streeting told LBC radio: 'Weight-loss jabs are the talk of the House of Commons, half my colleagues are on them and are judging the rest of us saying 'you lot should be on them'.
'And the thing is, if you can afford these weight loss jabs, which can be over 200 quid a month, well that's all right for you.
'But most people in this country haven't got spared two and a half grand a year and often the people who have the worst and most challenging obesity also have the lowest income.
'So I'm bringing to weight loss jabs the principle of fairness which has underpinned the NHS.
'It should be available based on need and not the ability to pay.
'And that's what we're going to do on weight loss jabs, as well as a number of other things, including people getting more fit, more active, supporting people on diet and nutrition….that's the bit of the weight loss jab debate that sometimes gets lost.
'It's not that you can have some weight loss jabs and stuff your face with Jaffa cakes…'
He said obesity cost the NHS billions a year, adding that taxes have been going 'up and up' to pay for the health service.
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Frank Harvey, Chief Executive Officer for Surescripts. Complicated. That's the word that comes to mind when I think of healthcare. Even for a thing as simple as seeing the doctor for a nagging cough and getting a prescription at the pharmacy, the whole process can be surprisingly complex and costly. Despite incredible advancements in medicine and technology, we've yet to solve some contributors to clinician burnout that can add stress to the entire healthcare ecosystem and, most notably, erode patients' trust in their providers. According to Gallup's annual rating of U.S. professions, trust in medical doctors has fallen 14% since 2021, and at 53%, is now the lowest since the mid-1990s. This doesn't have to be the case. As technology innovators in healthcare, it's up to us to improve healthcare with access to technological innovation that enables better quality, safer and less costly care for patients. 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In context: While AI tools will grab headlines, these tools are likely only addressing one element of the system and may not be truly alleviating the burden on care providers. Instead, I believe we need collaboration between health plans and care providers to develop systemic innovation. Together, we can build on the nationwide interoperability that exists today to deliver a swift, consistent and comprehensive experience for patients and those who care for them. Collaboration can take many forms but really relies on the opportunity for discussion and sharing ideas. So next time you're at a conference, meeting a stakeholder from another organization or a former colleague for coffee, remember to be intentional about connecting ideas and seeking out different points of view. It could lead to the next comprehensive fix that leads to meaningful impact for care providers and their patients. 3. 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