NHS told to help fat jab users keep weight off

Telegraph

2 days ago

The NHS has been told to help people taking weight-loss jabs keep the pounds off once they stop the drugs.
New guidance issued by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) said the health service should be helping people for at least one year after they stop the injections.
Health officials said many people regain weight after stopping treatment if they are not supported, and those coming off the fat jabs should be offered 'structured advice and follow-up support' to help prevent this.
An estimated 1.5 million people are taking weight-loss jabs in the UK, but the vast majority are paying for them privately so will not be eligible for NHS support after they have finished their treatment.
It comes after the National Pharmacy Association warned that demand for the jabs was 'unsustainable' and could soon outstrip supply.
The new 'quality standard' from Nice says NHS patients should be monitored for at least a year after they complete treatment, and emphasises building 'long-term behavioural habits, use self-monitoring tools, and draw on wider support – from online communities to family-led interventions and local activities'.
This guidance for the NHS in England and Wales sets out expectations for health providers including how they should support patients.
Prof Jonathan Benger, the deputy chief executive and chief medical officer at Nice, said: 'Successful weight management doesn't end when medication stops or when someone completes a behavioural programme.
'We know that the transition period after treatment is crucial, and people need structured support to maintain the positive changes they've made.
'This new standard makes sure services provide that vital continuity of care, and it supports the NHS 10 year plan to shift from a 'sickness service' to a genuine health service focused on prevention.'
The guidance says NHS services should monitor people for weight creeping back up and help implement 'if-then' plans so people know what steps to take if there is weight regain.
It also says they should work with the patients on making changes to their daily routines as well as eating and shopping habits.
Dr Rebecca Payne, the chair of Nice's Quality Standards Advisory Committee, added: 'Weight management is a long-term journey, not a short-term fix.
'The evidence is clear that advice and support for maintaining weight after stopping medicines or completing behavioural interventions can help prevent weight regain and enable people to experience lasting benefits.
'We've seen excellent examples of services that already provide comprehensive discharge planning and ongoing support.
'This quality standard will help ensure all healthcare providers adopt these best practices, giving every person the best chance of maintaining their weight management success over the long term.
'This standard ensures healthcare services are equipped to provide that essential ongoing support.'
Prof Kamila Hawthorne, the chairman of the Royal College of GPs, said: 'There is no one-size-fits-all approach to tackling obesity – what works for one patient will likely not work for another and, as with any medication, weight-loss drugs do not come without risk.
'It's also the case that patients will likely need support to sustain their weight loss once they stop taking the medication. As such, this is important and sensible guidance from Nice.
'As a college, we've been clear that whilst weight-loss medications have significant potential benefits for patients who are struggling to lose weight, they mustn't be seen as a 'silver bullet' and ensuring access to sufficient 'wraparound' services – particularly for when patients come off their medication – will be key to optimal health outcomes.'
An NHS spokesman said: 'While these new treatments are excellent at supporting weight loss, they're not a magic bullet and must be paired with wraparound support including advice on healthier diets and physical activity to see sustainable results, so we welcome new guidance on this for local services.
'The NHS is already supporting hundreds of thousands of people to lose weight through our 12-week digital weight management programme, and we are expanding this to 125,000 more people per year, so doubling the number of people who can access it, as part of the 10 year health plan.'