
GPs beg patients to stop asking for fat jabs as they prepare to start Mounjaro national rollout
FAMILY doctors are pleading with patients to stop asking for fat jabs as they prepare to start a Mounjaro national rollout.
NHS GPs will be able to prescribe the tirzepatide drug for weight loss from next Monday.
Despite soaring demand for jabs, the NHS currently only prescribes Ozempic — primarily for type 2 diabetes patients.
Experts warn only 220,000 people are likely to get jabs by 2028.
Surgeries have posted online warnings.
Crayford Town Surgery in Kent said: 'We do not prescribe weight loss jabs so please do not ask.'
Fairhill Medical Practice in Kingston, South West London said: 'Once we are able to prescribe, they will be offered to those with the highest medical need only.'
Olivier Picard, chair of the National Pharmacy Association, said: 'NHS provision won't meet demand straight away.
'In reality, many GPs lack the bandwidth to deliver the level of support needed.
'We expect that many people will continue seeking it privately.'
Highfield Surgery in Blackpool said: 'We are currently receiving a significant increase in the numbers of patients requesting help with weight management.
'A lot of these requests seem to stem from the current interest and information in mainstream or social media regarding the use of GLP-1 injections.
'Currently GPs are unable to prescribe these injections.'
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BBC News
2 hours ago
- BBC News
Rise in awareness of nicotine pouches among children, survey suggests
Young people under the age of 18 are more aware of nicotine pouches, new data to a survey commissioned by charity Action on Smoking and Health (Ash), the percentage of 11-17 year olds who said they knew of the pouches grew from 38% in 2024 to 43% this survey indicates nearly 4% of children in this age group have tried a nicotine pouch, equivalent to 210,000 young is calling on the government to prioritise the passing of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which will ban the marketing of nicotine pouches and their sale to under Department of Health and Social Care said the bill "will stop the next generation from getting hooked on nicotine". The bill is making its way through Parliament and is currently in the House of CEO Hazel Cheeseman said: "There is currently no date for the next phase of the legislation and therefore no clear timeframe for when it will become illegal to sell a 9-year-old a nicotine pouch. "The government must make passing this bill a priority."Nicotine pouches, often sold in cans, are small tea-bag-like rectangles that contain white powder that releases nicotine into the bloodstream when placed between a person's upper lip and gum. They do not contain are less harmful than smoking and some people use them as a way to quit smoking, though they are not recommended by the warns that the lack of limits on the strength of the nicotine put into pouches, along with the absence of age restrictions on their sales, make them a highly addictive nicotine product that anyone can buy, including children. It's 'terrifying' Jasmine Primrose, a teacher at a high school in north London, started a petition calling for greater regulation of nicotine pouches after seeing a 17-year-old pupil being offered a free can of pouches at a corner shop next to their school."They're literally giving nicotine addiction out for free to children and I think that's terrifying. I think there should definitely be an age range on that," she told the said while vapes were still the bigger offender at schools, she had confiscated a number of nicotine pouches from students."A lot of parents aren't aware of the issue, parents don't even know that it's happening most of the time," she said. Ash's survey of 13,000 adults and 2,700 11 to 17-year-olds was carried out by YouGov. It suggests there has been an increase in the number of adults aged between 18 and 34 using the pouches since 2023 - though the overall percentage of the population who uses them remains survey indicates 2.6% of 18-34 year olds reported using pouches in 2025, up from 1.2% in also suggests there is a strong gender divide among nicotine pouch users, with men under 40 three times more likely to use pouches than women of the same 24-year-old man who has recently quit using nicotine pouches is Kofi Bernson."I had them every single day in every social situation, while driving, whilst at work, in a meeting… you could have them anywhere and no-one will know, and that is one of… the most addictive aspects of it", he told the BBC. He said while he found them effective in helping him to quit smoking, quitting nicotine pouches was much harder, and it took him three or four attempts to do said he also experienced side-effects like headaches, heart flutters, sore gums, a decrease in his appetite and feeling is relatively little research into the potential health implications associated with nicotine pouches, but a 2023 review carried out by the British Dental Journal said mouth and throat soreness, mouth ulcers, hiccups and coughing were well-documented side-effects. A study published in 2024 in Germany also found their use can have cardiovascular effects, such as an increased heart rate.A research paper co-published by Ash in 2024 said that for people who smoke, switching to nicotine pouches could have positive health effects. While pouches are less harmful than smoking, they are highly addictive and not recommended for teenagers or non-smokers. Ash CEO, Ms Cheeseman said "the surge in teen awareness and growing levels of use in young adults over the last two years indicates that the industry's marketing strategies are working."Products are highly promoted in shops and on social media with football stars and male influencers used to further raise their profile," she said.A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said the proposed bill would stop nicotine products from being advertised to children."The Bill will place nicotine pouches under the same advertising restrictions as tobacco and provides powers to regulate their nicotine limits, flavours, packaging and how they are displayed."But the Chartered Trading Standards Institute, a professional association which represents trading standards professionals, said there is little that can be done to stop the sale of nicotine pouches to children until the law is changed. "I hear from trading standards teams across the country who are getting reports from concerned citizens who have seen teenagers being sold these products," Tobacco and vapes lead Katie Pike said."However, there is no action we can take until the law is changed as no offence is being committed."


BBC News
3 hours ago
- BBC News
Warning over TikTok filming by hospital patients
Patients who film their own medical treatment for TikTok or Instagram could be putting themselves and NHS staff at risk, the Society of Radiographers (SoR) has warned. The trade union's annual conference heard that more patients were videoing their procedures on mobile phones, often without asking permission. This could distract staff or make them feel uncomfortable and anxious, the society material on social media also risks publicising the private medical data of other people who may be in the same room or area of the hospital. "I had one patient whose relative started filming while I was trying to set up," said Ashley d'Aquino, a therapeutic radiographer from London. "It wasn't the right time - I was trying to focus on delivering the treatment."Ms d'Aquino, who is also a local union representative, said she had recently been contacted by other colleagues in a similar situation. "We had a member of staff who agreed to take photos for a patient," she said. "When the patient handed over her phone, the member of staff saw that the patient had also been covertly recording her, to publish on her cancer blog." Most NHS staff wear identity badges and their names and job titles may be visible on videos posted online. The union said another of its members, a department assistant from the south coast of England, was inserting a cannula as part of a cancer procedure, when the patient's 19-year old daughter started filming on her phone. "She thought it would be entertaining on social media but she didn't ask permission," said the member of staff. "I spent the weekend afterwards worrying: did I do my job properly? I know I did, but no-one's perfect all of the time," she added."I don't think I slept for the whole weekend." NHS 'needs policies' Ms d'Aquino said there were valid reasons for patients to record the audio of medical consultations - so they could listen back to the detail, for example. "The difficulty is that our phones have become so much a part of our day-to-day life that recording and sharing has become second nature," she added. Dean Rogers, the director of strategy at the SoR, is calling for NHS trusts to have clear policies in place that stop patients from filming without permission."As healthcare professionals, we need to think: does that recording breach the confidentiality of other patients? Does it breach our ability to deliver care?" he said."There are hospital trusts that have very good policies around patients taking photos and filming procedures but this is something all trusts need to have in place."Prof Meghana Pandit, co-national medical director at NHS England, said it was vital that, if patients want to record any part of NHS care, they discuss it with staff first and it remains for their personal use only."Recording other patients inadvertently and without their permission risks breaching patient confidentiality – the information and treatment provided to other patients on NHS premises should never be recorded, let alone posted to social media," she added.


Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
More than two thirds of cancer patients waiting over TWO MONTHS to start treatment in parts of England - how does YOUR area fare?
England's 'deadly' cancer treatment postcode lottery was today laid bare in a damning analysis revealing where patients are having to wait months for care. More than two thirds (69 per cent) of patients at Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in Cambridgeshire had to wait over 62 days to start treatment for their disease after an urgent referral from their GP in April. This was more than double the proportion waiting too long for cancer treatment nationally. By comparison, NHS guidelines state that 85 per cent of patients should start treatments like surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, within two months. Senior cancer doctors said the data highlights the 'frightening truth' that too many patients were experiencing fatal delays. Prompt treatment for cancer is considered critical, with every four weeks a patient is forced to wait, linked to a 10 per cent increase chance of death. Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust ranked second worst in the nation for speedy cancer treatment, with more than half (55 per cent) of patients having to wait at least two months. Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation Trust followed, at 51 per cent of patients and Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust with 48 per cent of patients waiting too long. Joint fifth were Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust in Essex, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. A total of 47 per cent of cancer patients referred by their family doctor for signs of the disease had to wait too long to start treatment at these trusts. Nationally, around one in three cancer patients (30.1 per cent), over 8,000 people, had to wait over two months to start treatment. Reacting to the data top oncologist and co-founder of the Catch Up With Cancer campaign, Professor Pat Price, said: 'This data shows the frightening truth that a third of patients following an urgent GP cancer referral do not get their treatment on time. 'These deadly delays show that the Government needs to urgently invest in cancer treatments.' She added: 'It is still the case that there is a deadly postcode lottery when it comes to cancer treatments. 'For instance, in radiotherapy, despite some investment last year, around half of the cancer treatment machines for radiotherapy are spiralling towards their expiration date.' Despite the NHS target of 85 per cent, this goal hasn't been met since 2015. Rapid access to cancer treatment can boost patient survival as it reduces the chances of a tumour growing larger—which requires more extensive treatment— or the disease spreading to other parts of the body, a far more serious stage. At the opposite end of the scale, Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Foundation Trust recorded the highest adherence to the target with 96 per cent of cancer patients starting treatment within two months. This was followed by Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust which saw 92 per cent of cancer patients within the 62-day target. Both trusts are specialty hospitals meaning they will generally see fewer cancer patients than a normal NHS trust. The analysis was carried out by medical negligence law firm Patient Claim Line. The firm's senior litigation executive Michael Blakemore-Carson suggested delays could be devastating to patients and potentially costly to the NHS. 'If you have experienced delayed treatment, you could be entitled to make a claim for compensation,' he said. A Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust spokesperson said: We are sorry that too many cancer patients are waiting longer than they should. 'We are working collaboratively internally and with our partner hospitals to make sure referrals reach us earlier, so we can provide the very best, timely care.' A spokesperson for NHS Humber Health Partnerships, which represents Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust and Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, blamed the figures on rising cancer cases in the area. 'We are working hard to minimise delays to our patients who are waiting to start their cancer treatment, and I am sorry some people are waiting longer than we would like,' they said. 'However, we are seeing a striking growth in the number of referrals coming into our hospitals. To try to deal with this we are providing additional "one stop" sessions at weekends, thanks to the help of our medical, nursing and imaging staff.' Stephanie Lawton, chief operating officer at The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust also said the trust was working to reduce waiting times for cancer patients. 'We are focusing on initiatives including additional clinical triage of all patient referrals, further diagnostic and outpatient capacity, and a review of our external pathways to support patients requiring onward referral to specialist centres,' she said. 'In some services, we are working on "one-stop" diagnostic capacity, so patients have all their investigations in one visit.' Christine Blanshard, chief medical Officer for Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, also said they were working to make improvements. 'Our priority is to provide the highest possible quality of patient care, and we appreciate how difficult it is for anyone waiting for cancer treatment,' she said. 'We are implementing an improvement plan focused on rapidly reducing cancer diagnosis and treatments times.' Kirsten Major, Chief Executive, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: Reducing the time patients wait for cancer treatment is a top priority and whilst we have more work to do, we have already reduced the wait time by five days following focused work to increase both staffing and capacity over the past year.' Other NHS data shows other cancer targets are struggling to meet ministers' ambitions. The Government has target that by March 2026, 80 per cent of all urgent cancer referrals should be either diagnosed or ruled out within 28 days. But the latest figures show this was only true for 76.7 per cent of patients in April, down from 78.9 per cent in March. Both figures are above the current target of 75 per cent of patients being told they have disease or have it ruled out within this time frame. Another target, that cancer patients should only wait a month from a decision to treat their cancer to starting that treatment was also missed. The NHS only managed to treat 91.3 per cent of cancer patients within 31 days. The target is 96 per cent. Oncologists—doctors who specialise in cancer care—have previously described the continuing failure for the NHS to meet its cancer treatment targets as a 'heartbreaking disaster'. Almost 400,000 cancer cases are diagnosed across the UK each year, with almost 170,000 deaths from the disease recorded per annum. Nearly half of all Britons—45 per cent of men and 43 per cent of women—are expected to be diagnosed with some form of cancer during their lifetime.