A parliamentary committee has called for a comprehensive overhaul of obesity services within the National Health Service (NHS), urging increased access to weight-loss medications and bariatric surgery to address what it describes as a two-tier system of care. The health and social care select committee’s report found that only 6% of people eligible for the GLP-1 drug Mounjaro are expected to receive it through the NHS over the next three years, with many others forced to seek private prescriptions.
The report highlights that just 6,500 NHS bariatric surgeries were performed during 2024/25, compared with approximately 60,000 procedures annually in France. Bariatric surgery involves reducing stomach size, altering gut hormones, or decreasing calorie absorption and is a key treatment option for severe obesity. The committee recommended doubling the number of these surgeries in England to 13,000 annually and called for better integration of digital healthcare providers to speed up access to weight-loss drugs.
Layla Moran, chair of the committee, emphasized the need for equitable and structured obesity care, stating that current services fall short and fail many patients seeking help. She suggested adopting a nationally standardized care pathway similar to diabetes management, coupled with a shift in policy language and attitudes to appropriately recognize obesity as a serious health condition.
Current NHS plans cover treatment for up to 220,000 patients with severe obesity and associated health issues over three years, far below the number eligible. NHS England previously estimated that providing Mounjaro to 2.8 million eligible patients would cost £15.2 billion over five years, factoring in medical appointments and psychological support. The committee urges the government to accelerate the rollout of the drug and work with providers to enhance access, including improving data sharing between regulated suppliers and general practitioners.
Data cited by the committee indicate that over 2.37 million packs of GLP-1 drugs are prescribed monthly in the UK, predominantly through private channels, raising concerns about inequity. Moran noted that the limited NHS supply has inadvertently created a two-tier system, deepening health inequalities. The issue has also been flagged by pharmacy leaders. Henry Gregg, chief executive of the National Pharmacy Association, warned that the slow NHS rollout fuels a black market for unlicensed or counterfeit weight-loss drugs.
The report also flagged significant challenges in pediatric obesity services. Specialized "complications of excess weight" clinics have waiting lists averaging six months, with stark mismatches between the number of children meeting referral criteria and available support. In South Yorkshire, around 16,000 children and young people could qualify for such clinics, but there are only enough resources for about 100 families annually.
Overall, the committee described NHS obesity services as fragmented, inconsistent, and difficult to navigate, with considerable regional disparities and no clear care pathway for patients or healthcare professionals.
Obesity Health Alliance spokesperson Jack Doughty called for bold government action, including an independent review to identify best practices, improve service integration, and highlight the potential long-term cost savings of expanding obesity care. He also stressed that increased treatment access must be paired with stronger prevention efforts targeting unhealthy food environments to reduce obesity risks.