Primary Care GLP-1 Prescribing and Thrive Tribe

Primary Care Prescribing Criteria for Tirzepatide-updated 05/06/2026

Tirzepatide can now be prescribed in primary care if the following criteria are met:

BMI of 35 kg/m² or more *

AND 4 or more of the listed weight-related health conditions:

• Hypertension
• Dyslipidaemia (abnormal blood fats)
• Obstructive sleep apnoea
• Cardiovascular disease (for example, heart disease)
• Type 2 diabetes.

 

*For people from South Asian, Chinese, other Asian, Middle Eastern, Black African or African-Caribbean ethnic backgrounds, the qualifying BMIs are 2.5 kg/m2 lower (for example, 32.5 kg/m2 instead of 35 kg/m2).

 

Please note this criteria may be reviewed from March 2027. 

Healthier You: NHS Behavioural Support for Obesity Prescribing (BSOP) service is mandated for all patients prescribed Tirzepatide for weight loss in primary care. 

This provides tailored behavioural, nutritional and psychological support, over 9 months, helping to build sustainable habits for long-term health and wellbeing.

Please refer to Thrive Tribe (a referral form is available) via healthier.you@nhs.net

 

Other Weight Management options

For patients that do not meet the criteria for bariatric surgery or weight loss injections please see Weight Management in the Community

 

Referrals for GLP1 injections for weight loss

From 20/12/24 new referrals to the Secondary weight loss service for GLP-1 agonists are being paused until further notice.  Patients who have started their treatment will continue to receive their prescriptions.

Consultant to consultant referrals can be made for urgent conditions requiring time limited specialist weight management: 

• Active malignancy
• Fertility
• Idiopathic intracranial hypertension
• Proven genetic causes of obesity
• Surgery for life limiting conditions
• Young adults over 16 years transitioning from complications of excess weight specialist clinics

 

References

• Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Commissioning policies and evidence-based interventions.
• 1 Recommendations | Tirzepatide for managing overweight and obesity | Guidance | NICE
• Thrive tribe

 

Page Review Information

Review date:           05 June 2026 (Partial update)

Next review date:    30 March 2027

GP Speciality lead:  Dr Melanie Schick

Contributors:           Deputy programme of care lead, Long term conditions