Is it an emergency?Update: 8 August 2024
NHS Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB) commissions specialist weight management services for patients in north east Essex through Luton and Dunstable NHS Foundation Trust.
For patients in Suffolk, we are transitioning to a new, local specialist weight management provider. These new services will be available from April 2025 at the latest. They will be available to all patients in Suffolk and north east Essex and will enable access to approved weight-related medications.
Semaglutide drug treatments such as Wegovy® are currently only available to people as a pre-operative weight management option.
Published: 19 January 2024
Semaglutide (Wegovy™) was approved for use by the NHS in England, Wales and Northern Ireland last year by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) as a treatment option for adults living with overweight and obesity, subject to certain criteria.
You can read the guidance in full via the NICE website.
Since the above guidance was issued, NHS Suffolk and North East Essex ICB (SNEE ICB) has been working closely with NHS England and local specialist weight management clinicians to consider a number of options to support the rollout of semaglutide.
We appreciate that adults living with overweight and obesity are urgently seeking clarity on when and how they can access this treatment. With this in mind, we can confirm that semaglutide will only be available in the short term for people currently on the Tier 3 weight management waiting list who have: the greatest clinical need; another/other long term health condition/s; and whose life choices are affected by low-quality living standards.
The ICB is, however, committed to developing further options to make semaglutide available to more people in Suffolk and north east Essex.
We would kindly ask anyone waiting for news of how this work is progressing to check back in on this page where any updates will be published as soon as they are available.
Further support
The NHS Digital Weight Management Programme supports adults living with obesity who also have a diagnosis of diabetes, hypertension or both, to manage their weight and improve their health. It is a 12-week online behavioural and lifestyle programme that people can access via a smartphone or computer with internet access. Both GPs and local pharmacists can refer patients into the programme.
If you have a diagnosis of pre-diabetes, you are eligible for the National Diabetes Prevention Programme, which helps people to lose weight and lead a healthier lifestyle with the help of a personal plan. To find out more and to check your risk of having pre-diabetes, visit the Suffolk and North East Essex Wellbeing Support Services website.
If you are experiencing mental health and wellbeing issues, you may find NHS talking therapies a helpful source of support.
More information
View the latest government guidance on accessing Wegovy for weight loss.