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GLP-1

GLP-1 Medicine for Weight Loss

Update on GLP-1 Medicines for Weight Loss

We’re pleased to share that NHS England has now announced national commissioning of GLP-1 medications (such as Wegovy) to support weight management. This marks a positive step forward in helping some patients manage their weight and improve their overall health.

However, we want to let you know that local commissioning arrangements are not yet in place. Our Integrated Care Board (ICB) has advised us not to prescribe these medicines until local pathways are formally agreed..

Who Will Be Eligible in Year One?

In this first phase, access to GLP-1 medicines will be limited to a small, high-risk group of patients who meet the strict national criteria set by NHS England.

To be eligible, patients must have:

🔹 A BMI over 40

and

🔹 Four or more of the following weight-related health conditions:

·         Type 2 diabetes mellitus

·         Hypertension (high blood pressure)

·         Dyslipidaemia (abnormal cholesterol or lipid levels)

·         Obstructive sleep apnoea

·         Cardiovascular disease

We understand that this means many patients will sadly not be eligible in the first year, even once prescribing is locally approved.

What We’re Doing

We are already identifying patients who may meet the national criteria, so we’re ready when local prescribing is allowed.If you are eligible, we will contact you directly—there is no need to phone the practice.If you are not eligible, we will continue to support you in other ways.

    Support While You Wait

    Whether or not you meet the Year One criteria, lifestyle changes remain key to long-term weight management. These medications work best when combined with healthy eating, physical activity, and behavioural support.

    Thank you for your understanding and patience as we wait for the local service to be launched. We’re committed to supporting your health and will keep you updated


    Published on 5th Mar 2026

    Total Triage

    From the 1st October 2025 we are moving to a Total Triage model.

    What is Total Triage?

    Total triage is a General Practice workflow where every patient contacting a practice first provides some information on the reasons for contact and is triaged before making an appointment.

    All patient requests will be triaged by one of our GPs who will decide what the best course of action is. Where necessary, we might ask you to answer a few additional questions to help our doctor prioritise those patients who need more urgent care.

    You could be given a face to face or telephone appointment, you could have a reply from the GP with self-care advice, or you could be signposted to a more appropriate service.

    The main purpose of the Total Triage model is to:

    • enhance the quality of care our patients receive 
    • ensure they are given the most appropriate appointment or advice to meet their needs
    • communicate with patients in a timely way

    How does it work?

    All patients need to submit their request via the surgery’s website.

    Ideally, patients will submit their own request, however, we appreciate that this may not be possible for some patients.  If you are unable to use or access the online form then please contact the surgery in the usual way and we will complete the request for you, which will be added to the triage list to be reviewed by the GP.

    Please note that in order for the GP to triage your request in a timely manner it is very important to provide detailed and accurate information about your symptoms.

    For example, if a patient has a cough, it would be much easier for the GP to triage the request with the following information: ‘I have had a cough for 10 days. I have already used over the counter medicine, but it is not helping and in the last couple of days my cough has been worsening, and it feels more chesty. I also have a high temperature.’

    If the information given is less detailed, such as ‘I have a cough’, it makes it harder for the GP to triage, and we will need more information.

    The Total Triage service will be open Monday to Friday.  During the weekend or bank holidays please continue to use the 111 service or call 999 for life threatening emergencies.

    Please note that at times we may temporarily suspend the online triage form to help manage the demand. In these circumstances you will see the following:

    • a message to advise that the Patient Triage is temporarily unavailable and information on when the link will be active again and how to contact the practice another way
    • a message prompting patients to use NHS 111 online, to find a local pharmacy or attend the Urgent Treatment Centre

    Triage model

    How does this benefit you?

    We know that change can be difficult sometimes, but we are confident that Total Triage will bring many benefits to our patients – for example:

    • Total Triage has been shown to reduce waiting times, and it enables us to attend to your medical needs more promptly.
    • Using digital communication will mean that you can engage with us from the comfort of your home or workplace.
    • Clinical triage ensures that limited healthcare resources are allocated to patients who need them most urgently.
    • Total Triage will address the increasing demand for appointments and reduce the frustration of having to call and be in a long queue at 8am.

    If you have any questions or concerns, our team is here to guide and support you.

    Thank you for supporting us with this new project.

    Sincerely,

    The BHC team

     


    Published on 1st Oct 2025

    Page last reviewed: 05 March 2026
    Page created: 22 January 2025