Limited NHS Access to Weight Loss Pharmacotherapy in Scotland

Fewer than 800 patients in Scotland have accessed GLP-1 receptor agonist injections for weight loss through Health Service, despite regulatory approval for Wegovy and Mounjaro granted in 2023 and 2024. Access remains restricted to small-scale pilot programs across six health boards, while the remaining nine boards do not provide routine access for weight management.

This disparity in service delivery has prompted criticism from medical professionals, who argue that the lack of standardized access exacerbates health inequalities and increases long-term fiscal pressure on the healthcare system. Critics contend that failing to treat obesity as a primary condition necessitates higher future expenditures on managing associated comorbidities such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.

The Scottish government maintains that individual health boards retain autonomy over the implementation of these treatments. Current pilot programs utilize strict clinical criteria, including high BMI thresholds and the presence of multiple serious medical conditions, effectively limiting the scope of public provision while private market demand continues to rise.