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Weight Management Support
Thinking about losing weight?
You’re not alone - This page outlines the support available to help you manage your weight.
Where should I start?
Making small changes over time can make a real difference to your weight. This includes eating, movement, sleep, and emotional wellbeing.
You can explore weight specific options further down this page.
You might also find it helpful to start by looking at one area:
- Move more
- Work towards healthier eating
- Support your sleep
- Look after your mental health and wellbeing
- Get help with eating disorders
Still not sure? A Health Connector can help you choose support that feels right for you.
Local Support
Health Connections at Frome Medical Practice
You can access free Healthy Weight Coaching at the practice:
- 1 to 1 coaching from a trained healthy weight coach
- Help to make positive changes to your lifestyle to support a healthier weight
- Signposting to support, such as local activities, housing, and finances
Weekly Weigh-In at Frome Medical Practice
Drop in every Tuesday 2pm to 3pm to check your weight and blood pressure.
Just drop in at the Live Well Room.
Habits for Health
Free six-week group programme. Help to build healthier habits that support your weight.
Covers goal setting, sleep, movement, eating, and emotional wellbeing
Lots of patients have found it a great starting point for weight management.
Orlistat Prescription
Orlistat is a medicine to help weight loss. It is taken with meals to lower how much fat is absorbed from food.
To be prescribed Orlistat you must have:
- A BMI of 30 or above, or
- A BMI of 28 or above, and have high blood pressure, or type 2 diabetes, or high cholesterol
You must lose 5% of your body weight within 3 months of taking this medicine to continue with it. Orlistat works best when you combine it with exercise and changes to your diet.
Request a routine (non-urgent) appointment with a GP if you wish to discuss trying this medication.
NHS Specialist Services
NHS Better Health
Access the free NHS Weight Loss Plan app.
The website also has:
- free recipes
- tools to help you eat well
- ideas to help you move more
NHS Digital Weight Management Programme
A 12-week online programme. Help to manage your weight and improve your health.
To access you must be:
- aged 18 or over,
- With a BMI 30 or above (27.5 or above for patients from Black, Asian, or minority ethnic backgrounds),
- and a diagnosis of diabetes or high blood pressure (hypertension)
Ask your GP to refer.
Find out more about the NHS Digital Weight Management Programme
NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme ('Healthier You')
Nine-month lifestyle support for people at high risk of type 2 diabetes.
Personalised support to manage weight, eat more healthily and be more active.
To access you must be:
- aged 18 to 79,
- HbA1c 42–47.9 mmol/mol or fasting plasma glucose 5.5–6.9 mmol/L in the last 12 months,
- Or a history of gestational diabetes.
Ask your GP to refer.
Tier 3 Weight Management Service
Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton is our most local Tier 3 Weight Management Service.
The team includes Consultants, Dieticians, Psychologists, and Specialist Nurses. They can offer bariatric surgery (weight loss surgery) to eligible patients.
Due to long wait lists, this is currently limited to patients requiring urgent weight loss. This is for cancer treatment and life-saving care only.
Speak to your GP if you feel you need this service for life-saving care
Weight Loss Injections
Mounjaro - For Obesity
Tirzepatide (also called Mounjaro) is a medicine which helps weight loss.
This treatment is available on the NHS.
The NHS is rolling out access in stages. This means people most likely to benefit are being offered the treatment first.
Over time, criteria will be widened to let more people to access this treatment.
To get weight loss injections for obesity through your GP practice you must:
- Have a BMI of 35 or above
And you must have 4 out of 5 of the following conditions:
- Diabetes
- Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)
- Sleep apnoea
- Hyperlipidaemia (raised cholesterol and fats in the blood)
- •Cardiovascular disease (heart attack, angina, TIA, or stroke)
Please do not contact us about these injections unless you believe you meet the criteria.
We regularly check which of our patients qualify. We will contact you if you can access this treatment through the NHS.
For more details on weight loss injections see frequently asked questions below.
Wegovy – For Cardiovascular Disease
Semaglutide (also called Wegovy) is a medicine which helps weight loss.
This treatment is available on the NHS.
To get weight loss injections for cardiovascular health you must:
- Have a BMI of 27 or above
And have a history of at least 1 of the following:
- Myocardial infarction (heart attack)
- Ischaemic or haemorrhagic stroke
- Symptomatic peripheral arterial disease
Contact the practice if you meet the above criteria.
For more details on weight loss injections see frequently asked questions below.
Mounjaro and Ozempic – For Type 2 Diabetes
Tirzepatide and Semaglutide (also called Mounjaro and Ozempic) are medicines which help weight loss.
This treatment is available on the NHS.
To get weight loss injections for type 2 diabetes you must have:
- a BMI of 30 or above
- Type 2 Diabetes
You must also have at least 1 of the following:
- Cardiovascular disease
- Blood sugar above target despite using at least two other diabetes medicines
Ask at your next diabetes review appointment if you believe you meet the criteria.
For more details on weight loss injections see frequently asked questions below.
FAQ's
Is there more information on this treatment?
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellent (NICE) has approved these medicines.
Patients aged 18 and above can have these medicines as treatment which helps weight loss.
How do these medicines help you lose weight?
Weight loss injections are part of a family of medicines called ‘GLP-1 agonists’.
GLP-1 agonists work by supressing appetite centres in the brain. These appetite centres control gut hormones (signals).
They help you feel less hungry.
They also slow the movement of food passing through the body. This helps you feel fuller for longer.
Only a healthcare professional can prescribe GLP-1 Agonists.
Support to live a healthier life must be given alongside injections. This means making healthier food choices and doing more physical activity. It's important to make these changes to stay healthy in the long run.
GLP-1 Agonist come as injections. These are usually injected by you once a week.
Will more people be able to have weight loss injections in the future?
The NHS is rolling out access in stages. This means people most likely to benefit are being offered the treatment first.
Over the next 12 years more and more people will be able to have this treatment.
This approach means that the NHS can safely manage the flow of patients into treatment. This is so the health system does not become overwhelmed by demand.
It also means that the NHS can plan for higher service demand. This involves building specific skills and knowledge within the workforce.
More people will be able to access this treatment over time. We regularly check which of our patients qualify.
We will contact you if you can access this treatment through the NHS.
Will there be any further support around the injections?
Anyone prescribed Mounjaro for obesity must take part in wraparound care. This is a rule for having this treatment.
Wraparound care focuses on improving eating and increasing physical activity. NHS England will provide more details on wraparound support later this year.
Patients may not be able to access Mounjaro if they refuse wraparound care.
Our staff work together to give patients the right care around their weight. This helps us safely prescribe weight loss medicines with the correct help in place for you.
Will everyone who is eligible have access to weight loss injections?
GLP-1 Agonists may not be suitable for everyone. Equally, not everyone who is eligible will want to use them to support their weight loss.
A healthcare professional will discuss the most appropriate treatment if you are eligible. We will always take your preferences into account.
Do I have to pay for weight loss injections?
Normal prescription charges will apply. You will not have to pay if you receive free NHS prescriptions.
Prescription prepayment certificates (PPCs) offer savings for people who need multiple medicines. Find out more and buy a PPC.
Wraparound support will be free for everyone receiving Mounjaro for obesity.