Fears over 'postcode lottery' for NHS weight-loss drug access in Scotland

Poverty campaigners have warned that access to NHS weight-loss medication in Scotland is becoming a “postcode lottery”.

Just two of Scotland’s 14 regional health boards are currently offering new generation GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy and Mounjaro, while around 300,000 people are believed to be accessing them privately.

For many, paying privately for weight-loss drugs is now unaffordable.

Debbie, from Glasgow, had been paying for Mounjaro until the price rose sharply in September.

She has since been forced to stop the injections and has joined an 18-month NHS waiting list for specialist weight-management support.

Debbie said she was put on an 18-month waiting list for specialist weight management support. STV News

Debbie said: “The last time I paid for it, it was £199, and I was struggling to justify that. Then I got an email saying the same dose was going up to £301, and I thought, ‘Well, I can’t’. So now I’ve lost nearly three stone – but how am I going to keep this weight off?

“I’m getting to the stage of desperation for that type of rise. If I could get the same medication cheaper, I would.

“I’ve since been put on an 18-month waiting list for specialist weight management support through my GP.”

Charities say Debbie’s experience is far from unique, warning that healthy eating and weight management are harder to achieve for people on lower incomes, especially amid rising food costs.

A community worker at Debbie’s cooking class said: “We know that people living in low-income communities often have less access to healthy foods and tend to have poorer health outcomes and shorter life expectancy.

“So, when you think about medications like these, people who can afford them may already have better health to begin with. That’s why this debate about access is only going to get wider.”

Meanwhile, demand for GLP-1 weight-loss drugs continues to soar.

One Glasgow-based online pharmacy, among the UK’s largest providers, told STV News it now dispenses the jabs to thousands of patients every month.

They estimate that hundreds of thousands of Scots are currently being prescribed the medications privately.

Public health experts fear that could widen the gap between those who can afford private prescriptions and those who rely on the NHS.

With obesity already costing Scotland’s health service millions each year, questions are being raised about when the treatments will become more widely available on the NHS.

Public health minister Jenni Minto confirmed that two more health boards are expected to begin prescribing GLP-1 medications soon, and another five are working towards it.

She said: “Would I like all health boards to move at the same speed? Of course.

“But I also have to respect their devolved powers – each board must make the right decisions for the people they serve.”

A new Scottish Government trial will also offer up to 5,000 people in the country’s most deprived areas free access to the drugs, in a bid to improve understanding and inform future rollout.

Demand for GLP-1 weight-loss drugs continues to soar.. STV News

However, experts have also raised concerns about people turning to the black market for counterfeit weight-loss drugs, which are often sold online in sophisticated packaging resembling legitimate brands.

Health professionals are urging anyone considering the medication to go through regulated pharmacies or speak to their GP.

For Debbie, and many others trying to maintain healthier habits without medical support, the wait for access to treatment feels long.

“I just hope the NHS can help soon,” she said. “It’s not just about losing weight, it’s about getting my life back.”