UK government launches £85m programme to expand obesity care through pharmacies and community services

Key Takeaways:

• The Government has announced an £85 million initiative to expand obesity support services, delivered through pharmacies, digital platforms, and community-based models.
• The pharmaceutical company Lilly will contribute £35 million in grant funding, though the firm insists its involvement is not linked to its obesity medicines.
• Pharmacy leaders welcome the programme but stress that funding must adequately cover the costs of providing wraparound care.
  

Government unveils new obesity programme

The Government has launched an £85 million programme designed to expand access to obesity care across the United Kingdom. The initiative will allow people living with obesity to seek support through community pharmacies as well as via digital platforms and local community-based services.

Labour has invited integrated care boards and technology providers to submit bids to pilot the programme, which it describes as offering “comprehensive holistic weight management support including a range of wraparound services.”

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) confirmed that patient eligibility will be determined locally by clinicians, with all services required to follow national guidelines, NHS governance, and clinical standards. The department emphasised that this approach is intended to ensure care remains patient-centred and responsive to local needs.

Funding breakdown

The Government will contribute around £50 million to the programme, with an additional £35 million coming from pharmaceutical company Lilly in the form of grant funding. At least £10 million has been set aside to support bids in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

While pharmacies already provide weight management services such as lifestyle advice, the details of their role under the new programme remain unclear. According to the DHSC, the initiative will focus on “innovative models of care for people living with obesity, outside of existing specialist weight management services,” with the aim of increasing capacity and reducing pressure on current services.

The DHSC also noted that treatments for obesity could “potentially” be included as part of the wraparound services offered, although specifics were not confirmed.

Questions over medicines provision

Independent Community Pharmacist (ICP) sought clarification from the DHSC on several points, including:

• Whether participating pharmacies will provide weight loss injections such as Mounjaro, Ozempic, and Wegovy once the programme launches in summer 2026, or only Mounjaro given Lilly’s financial involvement.
• Whether pharmacies will supply Lilly’s investigational daily obesity pill orforglipron, which is currently in trials and not yet licensed but may become available next year.
• How much funding each pharmacy will receive to deliver services under the programme.
  

When asked whether it was effectively paying the Government to promote its obesity medicines through pharmacies, Lilly stated the programme is “completely unrelated” to its pharmaceutical products and that its grants “will not fund purchasing or prescribing of specific medicines.”

A Lilly spokesperson explained:

“The aim of the programme is to facilitate the development of innovative models of care for obesity across the UK, to enhance the support available to individuals living with obesity.

The programme could make it easier for patients to access holistic obesity care, which could include access to medicines and other treatments for eligible patients, as deemed clinically appropriate by their healthcare professional. This is agnostic of which treatment and there is no link to Lilly’s medicines.”

Pharmacy leaders respond

Numark: Community pharmacies ‘uniquely placed’

Harry McQuillan, chair of Numark, said the programme is “ideally suited for community pharmacy involvement” and represents “an important step in expanding access to weight management support across our communities.”

He emphasised the value of pharmacists in this role:

“Pharmacists and their teams are uniquely placed to deliver this service. As highly accessible healthcare professionals, they already provide trusted advice, regular health interventions, and continuity of care to millions of people every year.

This service recognises their critical role in supporting healthier lifestyles and tackling one of the most pressing public health issues we face.”

NPA: Ensure funding covers costs

Henry Gregg, chief executive of the National Pharmacy Association (NPA), also welcomed the announcement but underlined the importance of adequate funding:

“Any funding made available is sufficient to cover the costs involved for pharmacies to provide wraparound care and support.

Obesity is the single biggest health challenge facing our country, and if we are serious about tackling it, pharmacies must be empowered to play a central role in the solution. With the right funding, pharmacies can scale up delivery quickly, ensuring more people get the help they need, when and where they need it.”