THE BLACK COUNTRY ICB STATEMENT ON TIRZEPATIDE (MOUNJARO)

ICB public statement in response to launch of NICE TA on Tirzepatide The National Institute for Health and Care and Excellence (NICE) has published a Technology Appraisal for Tirzepatide for managing overweight and obesity (TA1026) on 23 December 2024. This Technology Appraisal makes Tirzepatide available for weight management, under the brand name Mounjaro. Unlike previous weight management medication, this can be prescribed in Primary Care, however it still needs the same wrap around services as Wegovy (semaglutide), so that patients are supported to make the changes needed for the medication to be most effective. Black Country ICB knows there are many patients eligible for this medication who would like to be able to access this as soon as possible. However, this medication will be made available in phases over a number of years.

We ask that you are patient with us whilst we wait for further communication from NHS England on how Mounjaro will be rolled out and establish the best way to do so to meet our system’s needs. You might also be interested in... We also ask that you do not contact your GP surgery to try and obtain Mounjaro for weight loss just yet. GP practices are incredibly busy at this time of year and the additional resource required to manage enquiries will mean they have less time to offer patient appointments. We have also asked our GPs not to prescribe Mounjaro for weight loss at this time, whilst we work with clinical colleagues to develop options for the new service, including the training and education needed for these medications to be safely prescribed.

We are also working with a range of experts from across the Black Country to strengthen our specialist weight management service for patients with more complex needs, which will prescribe weight management medication in future. The ICB website has the latest ICB policy and FAQs for weight management published by NHS England, which may give you more information. We will continue to update our website to ensure that all our weight management information is in one place. Please check the website for the latest updates on weight management services rather than contacting your GP.

Get your oral contraception at a Black Country pharmacy 

Women across the Black Country can now get their supply of oral contraception at a local pharmacy, without the need to see a GP.  
 
More than 200 pharmacies in the Black Country are participating in this new service, aiming to increase choice for women in the ways in which they can access contraception.   

Oral contraception, known as ‘the pill’, can now be accessed at a pharmacy without a referral from a GP. Women can also be referred to their pharmacy by their GP practice or a sexual health clinic. 
 
The pharmacist will offer a confidential consultation and will offer the first supply of the pill, or the ongoing supply of their current oral contraception. This is an NHS service and so the supply of oral contraception will be exempt from any prescription charges. 
 

Sukhy Somal, Head of Community Pharmacy Clinical Services for the NHS Black Country Integrated Care Board (ICB), said: “This new service is another great milestone in showing how much of an important role community pharmacists are improving wider access to healthcare services.  
 

“This is a safe and confidential service for women across the Black Country and allows general practice and sexual health services to free up appointments for more complex assessments. 
 

“Women will still receive their yearly pill check-up, like they would with their GP, which they will have when requesting their next supply of contraception. It is still encouraged to seek medical advice from a pharmacist or doctor if any unusual side effects continue after three months.” 
 

Individuals do not need to be registered with a GP to access this service. Pharmacies will only inform the GP practice that individuals have accessed the service, with their consent.  Business cards are being rolled out for patients across the Black Country enabling pharmacists to write down the date of the next supply of contraception and the name of the pharmacy. 

Contraception is free and confidential, including for young people under the age of 16. The doctor or nurse will not tell anyone, including parents or carer, unless they think you or someone else is at risk of harm. 

For further information, visit the NHS Black Country ICB website. 

Top up your protection this spring

People can now top up their protection this spring by getting their COVID-19 vaccination. Protection against COVID-19 (either from catching the virus or from a previous vaccination) can fade over time and the circulating strain of the virus can change, so if you are at higher risk of severe illness, it is important that you top up your protection.

Those eligible for their spring vaccination are:

Appointments can be booked now via the NHS website, the NHS App or by calling 119, with appointments available until Tuesday 17 June 2025.

Don’t get caught out. If you or your child are eligible, make sure you get any extra protection you need this spring. Get vaccinated against COVID-19.