What is Mounjaro®?

Mounjaro® (tirzepatide) is a once-weekly injection that helps with weight loss.
It works by copying natural hormones that reduce appetite, slow down digestion, and help control blood sugar.
When used with a healthy diet and physical activity, it can lead to significant weight loss.

Who can get Mounjaro® on the NHS?

At the moment, only a small number of people are eligible.

You may be considered if you:

• Have a BMI of 40 or above (or 37.5 or above if from a minority ethnic background)
• AND have obstructive sleep apnoea treated with CPAP (or cannot tolerate CPAP)
• AND have three of the following conditions:
  • Type 2 diabetes
  • High blood pressure
  • Heart disease or stroke
  • High cholesterol
• Have already tried Tier 1 (healthy lifestyle advice) and Tier 2 (structured weight management programmes)

This follows NHS England’s current guidance. The programme will expand each year so more patients can access it.

What does the treatment involve?

• Starting dose: 2.5mg injection once a week.
• Dose increases: Your dose may go up every month if tolerated, up to 15mg.
• Duration: Treatment is for a maximum of 2 years.
• Reviews: You’ll be seen monthly at first, plus at 6, 12, 18 and 24 months.

What support will I get?

You will be referred to Behavioural Support for Obesity Prescribing (BSOP).
This includes:

• Online group sessions (13 sessions over 9 months)
• One-to-one digital support via smartphone/tablet
• In-person group sessions (13 sessions)

You must attend both clinical and support sessions. If you miss or do not engage, you may be discharged from the service.

What happens if treatment doesn’t work?

You may be discharged from the programme if:

• You do not lose at least 5% of your weight by 6 months
• You regain all of the weight you lost
• You do not attend appointments, blood tests or support sessions
• You experience serious side effects

Possible side effects

Most people tolerate Mounjaro® well, but side effects can happen.
The most common include:

• Feeling sick
• Indigestion
• Constipation
• Diarrhoea

Rare but serious side effects include:

• Low blood sugar
• Gallstones
• Inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis)

These will be explained fully at your first consultation.

Pregnancy and Mounjaro®

• Mounjaro® should not be used during pregnancy.
• If you are planning a pregnancy, speak to your healthcare professional first.
• If you become pregnant, treatment will be stopped immediately.

Not eligible but interested?

If you do not meet NHS criteria, Mounjaro® or similar medicines may be available privately.
If you choose this route, make sure the provider is reputable and qualified.
Using unregulated services can be dangerous. The NHS is not responsible for care or side effects from private providers.

Frequently asked questions

Our rates where possible are based upon British Medical Association published fees and are as follows:

Letters without Examination

To Whom it May Concern (at GP discretion)	Price on application
Private Sick Note	£30.00
Vaccination Certificates	£30.00

Reports/Examinations

Insurance Reports (No examination)	£125.00
Sickness/Accident Claim Form (without examination)	£125.00
Sickness/Accident Claim Form (with examination)	£175.00

Please note that we will soon be operating a cashless system for payments by patients at all our GP practices.

All payments for items such as GP letters, work-related letters and all other chargeable services must be made by card only – cash payments will soon no longer be accepted.

All our GP practices accept payments over the phone or in reception and the new system should make all payments quick and easy for our patients.

Please contact our reception staff if you have any queries and they will be happy to assist.

Your GP Practice falls under The Royal Wolverhampton Trust Primary Care Network which consists of a range of clinicians including a highly skilled and knowledgeable nursing team.

You can book an appointment directly with a nurse for any of the following without seeing your GP first:

Child immunisations

Travel vaccinations

Flu vaccinations

Shingles vaccination

Pneumococcal vaccination

COPD reviews

Asthma reviews

Diabetes reviews

Hypertension reviews and blood pressure checks/monitoring

B12 injections follow ups

Depo-provera injections follow ups

Wound care (assessment of wounds and dressing changes to any type of wound)

Suture removal

Clip removal

Smear tests

Contraception Advice

We also have an experienced nurse from the Sexual Health team working within The Royal Wolverhampton Trust Primary Care Network.

You can also book an appointment directly with her for the following procedures or consultations:

• Smear tests
• Pill check
• Coil Checks
• Repeat Pill
• Repeat Patch
• Repeat Vaginal Ring
• Full STI Screen
• Contraception Advice 
• +/- Starting Pill 
• Implant Consultation
• Coil Consultation 
• Depo-provera Injections follow ups

Typhoid, Hepatitis A and Tetanus vaccines are available on the NHS for travel purposes. A travel risk assessment must be completed detailing your travel plans, at least 6 weeks prior to travel. Completed forms should be emailed to the PCN Nurse Support Team: rwh-tr.pcnnursesupportteam@nhs.net.

All risk assessments will be reviewed and patients will be contacted to inform them of any travel vaccines required. The PCN Nurse Support Team offer appointments at  Alfred Squire Road Surgery during the week, Penn Manor Medical Centre, Lea Road Medical Practice and Thornley Street Surgery at their weekend clinics.

Young people services

We will not discuss any details of your visit with anybody else unless you give us permission to do so.

You are also welcome to book confidential appointments with a clinician where you will have the opportunity to discuss, amongst other things, dietary and skin conditions, drugs and alcohol, contraception and sexual health.

Free Chlamydia Screening for Under-25s

We are now offering free Chlamydia screening for patients under the age of 25 within the surgery. Come into the surgery and ask one of our receptionists for a Chlamydia test pack, then simply follow the instructions in the pack and bring it back to reception. Your test results will not be disclosed to anybody who is not directly involved in the Chlamydia Screening Programme, including us at the surgery – unless of course you wish to be treated here.

For more information on the ‘RU SURE?’ Chlamydia Screening Programme visit rusureblackcountry.nhs.uk/

Did you know our practice is working closely with local pharmacists to support you with certain minor health conditions?

It may be more appropriate to have your NHS consultation with a trained pharmacist instead of the GP practice. You can choose a pharmacy convenient to you and we will arrange this for you.

Your consultation will either be by phone or video call, or you can go into the pharmacy. With your consent, the pharmacist will let us know what happened at your consultation to make sure your medical record is updated.

Ask your GP practice for more information.

In conjunction with Embrace, we provide a sexual health service to our patients.

You will be able to book the following:

• Cervical smear 
• Coil check 
• Repeat pill 
• New pill
• Repeat patch/vaginal ring
• Full STI screen as long as patient asymptomatic 
• Implant removal/fit consultation 
• Coil fit/removal consultation 
• Contraception consultation/advice
• Repeat depo injections

Some of the appointments can be done virtually with a second face to face appointment, dependant on your treatment. The services are provided by a multi-disciplinary team therefore your appointment could be with the sexual health nurse or a GP.

Appointments are available across Wolverhampton and your practice will be able to help you find the closest clinic to you.

Physiotherapists now available for first consultations at the GP practice.

Around one in five people book to see their GP when they experience bone, joint or muscle problems, when they could actually be safely and effectively seen by a physiotherapist at the first point of contact.

First Contact Physiotherapists have expertise in the assessment and management of bone, joint and muscle problems. They assess patients, diagnose their condition, give advice on how best to manage the problem and if needed refer for investigations or to other specialist services. 

If you have bone, joint and muscle problems, please contact your GP practice and ask for an appointment with one of our First Contact Physiotherapists.

What is social prescribing?

It is a non-medical approach to improving your health and wellbeing. It can help you to have more control over your own health and find ways to improve how you feel in a way that suits you.

Who is it for?

Adults and young people aged 13+ who:

• feel isolated and want support to meet other people
• feel low or a bit anxious and might feel better supported joining a social group
• have a long term chronic health condition which would be helped through community activities
• need support or advice with practical issues such as money or housing
• want help and support with their wellbeing and education.

How does it work?

Social prescribing is not designed to replace medical support, but getting involved with local groups andactivities can help you get better and feel better faster than medicine alone.

Your link worker might introduce you to a community group, a new activity or a local club. They may help you to meet new people or, they might help you find information or access advice about a particular issue.

We link people into things like:

Friendship groups, sporting groups, arts and crafts, access to advice about health and wellbeing, training and education or information about managing your health.

How do I get involved?

A referral can be made by a GP on your behalf.

In summary

Once the social prescribing team receives the referral a link worker will contact you within a few days. They will arrange to meet you at a place where you feel most comfortable.

Your link worker is there to listen to you, and put you in touch with people and activities that might help you to feel better.

Together you will agree a plan to access the groups and services you have chosen which may include them coming with you for the first time.

We will contact you to check that the plan we have put in place is working for you or if you need anything else.

The Home-Visiting service is provided in conjunction with the Adult Community team within The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust. Only patients whose medical condition prevents them from visiting the surgery will receive a visit and those registered as housebound.

If you require a home-visit, you must contact your practice before 12.00pm. The practice team will take as much detail as possible to ensure that your request can be triaged appropriately. The team is made up of a number of different clinicians therefore you may not always be seen by a GP in your home.