Please note the Weight Management Service is not able to accept referrals for Obesity Management Medicines at this time. We apologise this is taking so long but please be reassured NHS Lothian are working hard to bring these medicines to patients.
NHS Lothian have a short life working group currently developing the pathway and once agreed we can start a phased roll out.
Three medicines are approved for use in NHS Scotland for managing weight in the treatment of obesity:
Liraglutide (Saxenda®)
Semaglutide (Wegovy®)
Tirzepatide (Mounjaro®)
In February 2025, these medicines were added to the East Region Formulary for the prescription in NHS Lothian.
The Scottish Government has issued a consensus statement advising the NHS in Scotland to consider a phased implementation of the medicines:
https://www.publications.scot.nhs.uk/files/dcconsensus-statement.pdf
NHS Lothian is considering a phased roll out of these medicines for weight management in line with Scottish Government guidance. We are actively developing clinical pathways to ensure safe prescribing and monitoring. Updates will be shared once these clinical pathways have been agreed in NHS Lothian.
Until these pathways are in place, the Weight Management service is unable to accept referrals for the initiation of these medicines.
Recent Headlines
The FDA recently approved the daily oral Wegovy®/semaglutide pill for obesity management in the US. Please note this has not yet been approved in the UK.
If you have been affected by the price increase of Mounjaro®/tirzepatide we would recommend you contact your private prescriber in the first instance to discuss your options as we cannot advise on your private prescription.
Things you may wish to discuss with your private prescriber:
· Confirm how much their prices will be changing. Some private prescribers have published that they are going to do their best to keep prices fair and accessible for their patients.
· Consider staying at a lower dose of Mounjaro® if this is still working for you. Prices usually increase as the dose increases.
· If you are looking to switch to an alternative obesity management medication (e.g. Wegovy®/semaglutide), please discuss this with your private prescriber as this requires medical supervision to transition to a different medication and adjust the dose appropriately.
Please note if you switch to an alternative obesity management medication you may need to start at a lower dose than expected to build tolerance. During this transition period you may experience fluctuations in hunger/appetite and different side effects – please see our leaflet below for advice on how to manage these.
Diet & Lifestyle Advice for Obesity Management Medicines
If you are currently taking these medicines and looking for evidence-based diet and lifestyle advice to support this, please see the below links:
NHS Lothian Obesity Management Medications Advice Leaflet.
GLP-1 medicines for weight loss and diabetes: what you need to know – GOV.UK
NHS Inform – Diet and physical activity tips whilst taking weight loss medication
Weight Management Advice
If you wish to consider lifestyle advice in the meantime you can find more information about our other programmes and referral forms on our web page:-
Adult Weight Management and Type 2 Diabetes Prevention Service – NHS Lothian | Our Service
Adult Weight Management and Type 2 Diabetes Prevention Team
Woodlands House, Astley Ainslie Hospital, 74 Canaan Lane, Edinburgh, EH9 2TB
E-mail: loth.weightmanagement@nhs.scot
Telephone: 0131 537 9169
