What steps his Department is taking to reduce waiting lists for NHS-funded weight loss programmes.
The National Health Service provides a range of weight management services, and we recognise that waiting times for some programmes can be long. NHS England is taking steps to improve access. Access to the NHS Digital Weight Management Programme is being doubled over the next three years, enabling an additional 125,000 people to begin behavioural weight‑loss support without referral delays. The recent rollout of tirzepatide prescribing in primary care, supported by national guidance and behavioural support, provides another route to access obesity medicines, outside of specialist weight management services, where waiting times can be long. Due to the significant number of people who are potentially eligible for these medicines, the NHS is prioritising access to those with the highest clinical need first. NHS England continues to work with local systems to improve capacity and test new models of care for obesity prescribing that may help manage demand and reduce waiting lists.