Select committee: Health and Social Care Committee

5th Report - Food and Weight Management: Modernising obesity treatment

HC 518 Published 23 October 2026

Health and Social Care Committee Food and Weight Management Report on parliament.uk ↗

At a glance15 recommendations and 15 conclusions · Government response awaited: deadline 23 December 2026

The government's response

Government response awaited: deadline 23 December 2026.

What the committee recommended 30

1
People living with obesity are being let down by the NHS. Conclusion
2
Obesity is a lifelong, relapsing and remitting condition that requires ongoing management. Recommendation
3
Modern services frameworks set out how the NHS and partners will improve areas of care... Conclusion
4
We are concerned that the merger of the Department of Health and Social Care and... Conclusion
5
The government should develop a modern service framework for obesity, recognising it as a lifelong... Recommendation

See all 30 recommendations and conclusions

Sources

5th Report - Food and Weight Management: Modernising obesity treatment ↗The committee's report, HC 518, parliament.uk

Recommendations and conclusions 30

1
People living with obesity are being let down by the NHS. Conclusion · addressed to Department of Health and Social Care Conclusion (the committee's words)
People living with obesity are being let down by the NHS. A range of effective interventions to treat obesity are available, ranging from behavioural support to medicine to surgery. Yet we repeatedly heard of people spending years trying to get the health service to listen to them and offer them treatment. Access to GLP-1 medication appears increasingly to be determined by ability to pay rather than clinical need. Given that obesity already follows stark lines of deprivation and inequality, failing to provide equitable access will entrench and widen those disparities, letting down the patients who need support most. (Conclusion, Paragraph 8)
2
Obesity is a lifelong, relapsing and remitting condition that requires ongoing management. Recommendation · addressed to Department of Health and Social Care Recommendation (the committee's words)
Obesity is a lifelong, relapsing and remitting condition that requires ongoing management. We recommend that the government and NHS consistently define obesity in this way and believe that adopting this position will help drive change, particularly in the public perception of obesity. Weight management services need to be overhauled to reflect this way of viewing obesity, treating it in a similar manner to other long-term conditions. (Recommendation, Paragraph 15)
3
Modern services frameworks set out how the NHS and partners will improve areas of care... Conclusion · addressed to Department of Health and Social Care Conclusion (the committee's words)
Modern services frameworks set out how the NHS and partners will improve areas of care to achieve more consistent, high-quality services. Given the continuing rising rates of obesity, and the numerous ways in which patients are being let down by the current service provision, obesity care is a clear candidate for its own modern service framework. (Conclusion, Paragraph 19)
4
We are concerned that the merger of the Department of Health and Social Care and... Conclusion · addressed to Department of Health and Social Care Conclusion (the committee's words)
We are concerned that the merger of the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England could result in the loss of programmes currently commissioned by NHS England. Reassurance about future commissioning arrangements for such programmes is needed, which could be provided through a modern service framework. (Conclusion, Paragraph 20)
5
The government should develop a modern service framework for obesity, recognising it as a lifelong... Recommendation · addressed to Department of Health and Social Care Recommendation (the committee's words)
The government should develop a modern service framework for obesity, recognising it as a lifelong condition and setting clear standards and targets that Integrated Care Boards are both supported in, and held accountable for, delivering. (Recommendation, Paragraph 21) 34 Designing an obesity modern service framework
6
The Type 2 Diabetes Path to Remission programme has shown its potential for diabetes remission... Conclusion · addressed to Department of Health and Social Care Conclusion (the committee's words)
The Type 2 Diabetes Path to Remission programme has shown its potential for diabetes remission and weight loss, yet only a small proportion of people who might benefit are being offered the programme, due to the number of places and the lack of awareness amongst healthcare professionals. The national commissioning of the programme, which avoids areas having to design their own version of it, provides important lessons for any obesity service redesign. (Conclusion, Paragraph 29)
7
An obesity modern service framework should support more patients to access the Type 2 Diabetes... Conclusion · addressed to Department of Health and Social Care Conclusion (the committee's words)
An obesity modern service framework should support more patients to access the Type 2 Diabetes Path to Remission programme by setting targets for how many patients should be enrolled and expectations around GP referral to the programme. This will need to be supported by funding for additional places. (Recommendation, Paragraph 30)
8
The government should review behavioural interventions that are offered across the country to identify which... Recommendation · addressed to Department of Health and Social Care Recommendation (the committee's words)
The government should review behavioural interventions that are offered across the country to identify which would benefit from a single national design that a range of providers can offer, in a similar way to the Type 2 Diabetes Path to Remission programme. It should also explore options for direct referral to programmes, including through the NHS App and central publicity campaigns. (Recommendation, Paragraph 31)
9
Bariatric surgery is a cost-effective underutilised treatment for obesity. Conclusion · addressed to Department of Health and Social Care Conclusion (the committee's words)
Bariatric surgery is a cost-effective underutilised treatment for obesity. Current provision is unacceptably limited and not all who might benefit from surgery can access it. (Conclusion, Paragraph 35)
10
The obesity modern service framework should commit to an increase in the number of bariatric... Recommendation · addressed to Department of Health and Social Care Recommendation (the committee's words)
The obesity modern service framework should commit to an increase in the number of bariatric procedures carried out per year, to ensure the UK does not lag behind its counterparts. We recommend that this is initially a doubling of the current provision, to around 13,000 procedures. This target should be reviewed every five years. To support this, the government should explore options for expanding existing, or building new, surgical hubs for bariatric surgery, prioritising areas with little to no provision. (Recommendation, Paragraph 36)
11
Current plans to rollout Mounjaro are unambitious given the scale of the challenge of obesity... Conclusion · addressed to Department of Health and Social Care Conclusion (the committee's words)
Current plans to rollout Mounjaro are unambitious given the scale of the challenge of obesity and reach a woefully small number of people who could benefit from this lifechanging treatment. We acknowledge there are challenges relating to capacity and funding. However, given the much larger number of private prescriptions of GLP-1s, we believe there are opportunities to learn from the private sector and better use the capacity of digital providers. With the GLP-1 landscape changing and 35 the likely reduction in costs as and when these medicines move off-patent, the system needs to be designed to support wider access now and be ready for the future. (Conclusion, Paragraph 44)
12
The government must urgently reassess the pace of rollout of Mounjaro. Recommendation · addressed to Department of Health and Social Care Recommendation (the committee's words)
The government must urgently reassess the pace of rollout of Mounjaro. This should include making better use of the capacity of digital providers. As a first step, the department should hold a summit on GLP-1 access with a range of providers and healthcare professionals to open a dialogue on how best to improve the rollout. (Recommendation, Paragraph 45)
13
The obesity modern service framework should include ambitious targets for the proportion of a local... Conclusion · addressed to Department of Health and Social Care Conclusion (the committee's words)
The obesity modern service framework should include ambitious targets for the proportion of a local population that should be able to access GLP-1s and targets for how much of this should be delivered through digital platforms. (Recommendation, Paragraph 46)
14
To truly take advantage of opportunities for weight management service provision outside of general practice,... Conclusion · addressed to Department of Health and Social Care Conclusion (the committee's words)
To truly take advantage of opportunities for weight management service provision outside of general practice, data sharing needs to be improved. A failure to act risks inappropriate prescribing and a continued burden on GPs who are asked to confirm patient details or update records. (Conclusion, Paragraph 47)
15
The government should ensure that appropriately regulated digital providers and pharmacies have secure access to... Recommendation · addressed to Department of Health and Social Care Recommendation (the committee's words)
The government should ensure that appropriately regulated digital providers and pharmacies have secure access to relevant patient information and the ability to update records to show that a patient is receiving a GLP-1. The government should set out how the planned Single Patient Record can support this and, while that is still being developed, find a temporary solution that gives providers better access, such as expanding access to summary care records. In its response to this report, the government should set out a clear timetable for expanding access to shared records and explain how it will ensure robust safeguards for patient privacy and data security. (Recommendation, Paragraph 48)
16
Wraparound support is a vital component of obesity care, no matter which treatment is being... Conclusion · addressed to Department of Health and Social Care Conclusion (the committee's words)
Wraparound support is a vital component of obesity care, no matter which treatment is being used. Losing a large amount of weight is a major life event, and challenges with living with obesity can impact on people’s mental health. As such, mental health support must be a core part of wraparound care. (Conclusion, Paragraph 55)
17
The obesity modern service framework should ensure that all obesity treatments are accompanied by consistent,... Recommendation · addressed to Department of Health and Social Care Recommendation (the committee's words)
The obesity modern service framework should ensure that all obesity treatments are accompanied by consistent, long-term wraparound support, including nutritional, behavioural and mental health services and require that uptake data is routinely collected. For bariatric surgery, eligibility for aftercare should extend beyond current minimum requirements, with clear shared-care arrangements in primary care and improved training for healthcare professionals to ensure patients receive appropriate lifelong monitoring and support. Where the NHS relies on private, 36 digital providers, it should seek assurance that they are meeting obligations for wraparound care and should set out how it will obtain this assurance in response to this report. (Recommendation, Paragraph 56)
18
The rising number of children with obesity should alarm us all. Conclusion · addressed to Department of Health and Social Care Conclusion (the committee's words)
The rising number of children with obesity should alarm us all. Any redesign of services must ensure that children living with obesity get the specialised, holistic support they need. (Conclusion, Paragraph 61)
19
The obesity modern service framework must include a specific section dedicated to support for children,... Conclusion · addressed to Department of Health and Social Care Conclusion (the committee's words)
The obesity modern service framework must include a specific section dedicated to support for children, focusing on evidence-based effective, person-centred interventions such as the CEW clinics. It should include targets for the proportion of children living with obesity who are accessing specialist support. (Recommendation, Paragraph 62)
20
Funding for existing CEW clinics must be maintained after the end of the pilot period,... Recommendation · addressed to Department of Health and Social Care Recommendation (the committee's words)
Funding for existing CEW clinics must be maintained after the end of the pilot period, and this should be committed to as soon as possible. The government should then explore how these services could be expanded. (Recommendation, Paragraph 63)
21
Obesity services are currently fragmented, inconsistent and difficult to navigate, with significant variation in provision... Conclusion · addressed to Department of Health and Social Care Conclusion (the committee's words)
Obesity services are currently fragmented, inconsistent and difficult to navigate, with significant variation in provision across the country and no clear pathway for patients or healthcare professionals to follow. This places an unfair burden on individuals living with obesity to identify, access and sometimes advocate for appropriate treatment themselves. The current system is poorly designed for a chronic, relapsing condition, relying instead on disconnected, time-limited interventions that fail to provide continuity of care, the ability to move between treatments, or support people throughout their lives. (Conclusion, Paragraph 69)
22
The obesity modern service framework should set out expectations around a new, simplified and consistent... Recommendation · addressed to Department of Health and Social Care Recommendation (the committee's words)
The obesity modern service framework should set out expectations around a new, simplified and consistent obesity care pathway, designed at all levels with lived experience input, with improved guidance for professionals, more standardised referral criteria, and the potential for other settings to refer into the pathway. The pathway should ensure that patients receive long-term support and condition management and can remain within the service if a treatment option does not prove effective. (Recommendation, Paragraph 70)
23
The modern service framework should make data collection mandatory, including information on referrals, treatment uptake,... Recommendation · addressed to Department of Health and Social Care Recommendation (the committee's words)
The modern service framework should make data collection mandatory, including information on referrals, treatment uptake, outcomes and patient experience. Data must be collected throughout a course of treatment and across the patient’s lifetime and the modern service framework should set out suggestions for the most effective points at which to collect data. (Recommendation, Paragraph 71) 37
24
It is unacceptable that, despite the prevalence of obesity and its impact on all areas... Conclusion · addressed to Department of Health and Social Care Conclusion (the committee's words)
It is unacceptable that, despite the prevalence of obesity and its impact on all areas of health and wellbeing, training specifically on obesity is so limited. Healthcare professionals need to be supported to gain a modern understanding of obesity, provide sensitive and stigma-free care and be able to provide expertise and treatment options to patients. (Conclusion, Paragraph 76)
25
The modern service framework should set out expectations for improving workforce training on obesity. Recommendation · addressed to Department of Health and Social Care Recommendation (the committee's words)
The modern service framework should set out expectations for improving workforce training on obesity. It should include a target to upskill GPs in particular, given their central role in access to obesity treatments. To support this, undergraduate medical education needs to incorporate education and training on obesity as a core component, increasing both the quantity and quality of training provided. For existing professionals, a set of mandatory training modules, in the style of the Oliver McGown training, should be introduced. (Recommendation, Paragraph 77)
26
We heard that GPs struggle to access training on obesity due to a lack of... Recommendation · addressed to Department of Health and Social Care Recommendation (the committee's words)
We heard that GPs struggle to access training on obesity due to a lack of protected continued professional development time. We acknowledge that GP training time is an issue that goes beyond obesity training and may have wider implications, so we recommend that the government explore options for giving GPs this protected time as part of future contact negotiations. (Recommendation, Paragraph 78) The regulatory landscape
27
While we acknowledge the ongoing efforts to tackle the illegal trade of GLP-1s, we remain... Conclusion · addressed to Department of Health and Social Care Conclusion (the committee's words)
While we acknowledge the ongoing efforts to tackle the illegal trade of GLP-1s, we remain concerned that the regulatory system is inadequately equipped to keep up with the scale of demand for GLP-1s, or flexible enough to deal with changes such as patent expiry and the availability of tablets. There are already examples of harm to people who have accessed illegal GLP-1s online, and we are concerned that these will increase as availability and demand for these products increases. The MHRA seems to be playing catch up, rather than proactively addressing this challenge, particularly with social media. (Conclusion, Paragraph 84)
28
The government must review the capacity and capabilities of the MHRA and set out whether... Recommendation · addressed to Department of Health and Social Care Recommendation (the committee's words)
The government must review the capacity and capabilities of the MHRA and set out whether it considers the Agency is sufficiently resourced to address the illegal trade in GLP-1s, including the technology and equipment to tackle related social media content. (Recommendation, Paragraph 85)
29
A joined-up action plan for dealing with illegal trade in GLP-1s and access to them... Recommendation · addressed to Department of Health and Social Care Recommendation (the committee's words)
A joined-up action plan for dealing with illegal trade in GLP-1s and access to them through social media, setting out clear areas of responsibility, should be developed. It should have ministerial oversight and the minister should provide regular updates on metrics such as products seized and social media posts or accounts removed. In addition, the government should 38 explore how social media companies can be compelled to remove posts or accounts, including whether powers of the MHRA need to be expanded to enable this. (Recommendation, Paragraph 86)
30
Further work is required to raise public awareness of the dangers of accessing GLP-1s through... Recommendation · addressed to Department of Health and Social Care Recommendation (the committee's words)
Further work is required to raise public awareness of the dangers of accessing GLP-1s through unregulated sources and social media, and how to access GLP-1s safely. The government should launch a public awareness campaign to reach members of the public most likely to consider buying from unregulated sources. The campaign should be informed by research into the best channels, platforms, voices and timing for such messaging. (Recommendation, Paragraph 87) 39