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NHS Scotland Weight-Loss Jabs Reach Fewer Than 800 Patients
Confirmed
In Short: Despite approval three years ago, fewer than 800 Scots have received weight-loss injections on the NHS.
Fewer than 800 Scots have received weight-loss injections on the NHS despite the drugs being approved for use three years ago, according to a BBC investigation.
Mounjaro and Wegovy, two weight management drugs, have been approved for use specifically for weight loss on the NHS in Scotland since 2023 and 2024, respectively.
Kathleen McLaughlin, one of the patients accessing the jabs on the NHS, expressed gratitude for the opportunity, stating, "I can't believe that I'm having the opportunity when so many other people are having to pay for it or not having even the chance for it."
Figures obtained through a Freedom of Information request by the BBC showed that 705 patients had received injections specifically for weight loss by September 2026. Simple Online Pharmacy estimates that at least 300,000 people in Scotland are using the drugs privately, while other estimates suggest around 2.4 million people across the UK are prescribed weight-loss medication.
Leading doctors have described the situation as "discriminatory" and argued that the lack of access on the NHS is widening health inequalities. Dr Mark Strachan, a diabetes specialist and president of the Royal College of Physicians, said it was "unacceptable" that there had been "no meaningful progress" since the drugs were approved.
Fewer than half of Scotland's health boards currently offer the treatment for weight loss, with only a small number of pilot schemes running across the country. Five health boards told the BBC that they prescribe the drugs as part of pilot projects, while the other nine do not currently routinely prescribe them for weight loss.
"It stops your life progressing. You're just vegetating your life away," said another patient, highlighting the frustration and impact of limited access to these treatments.
"The NHS is spending colossal amounts of money every year to treat the complications of obesity," noted a medical expert, emphasizing the potential cost savings and health benefits of wider access to weight-loss medications.
What this adds
The BBC's investigation revealed that only a small number of pilot schemes are running across Scotland, with limited access to weight-loss injections.
Background
Researchers found that participants with higher self-esteem scores experienced better weight loss outcomes in group therapy settings compared to individual therapy.
What's confirmed
- Mounjaro is one of the weight management drugs Mounjaro has been approved for use specifically for weight loss on the NHS in Scotland since 2023, and Wegovy was approved in 2024.
- Figures obtained through a Freedom of Information request by the BBC showed 705 patients had received injections specifically for weight loss by September 2026.
- Simple Online Pharmacy estimates at least 300,000 people in Scotland are using the drugs privately, while other estimates suggest around 2.4 million people across the UK are prescribed weight-loss medication.
- Fewer than half of Scotland's health boards currently offer the treatment for weight loss, with only a small number of pilot schemes running across the country.
- Fewer than 800 people in Scotland have received weight-loss injections through the NHS despite the growing popularity of the treatments.
What's still developing
- "We'll have more understanding of how they work, which groups to target."
- A third of Scots are classified as obese, which can lead to serious health complications including cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes.
- "I didn't want to go down that route without having somebody by my side to guide me through it," she said.