Practice Updates

Weight Management Medication 

15 August 2025:

Weight management medication – update for patients 

Following approval by NICE, tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) will be available on the NHS for eligible patients who meet the strict, nationally-set, criteria.  

The current criteria is that patients are those with a BMI of 40 or higher, and with four or more of the qualifying comorbidities (hypertension, dyslipidaemia, obstructive sleep apnoea, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes) will be eligible for assessment to identify their suitability for Mounjaro. Anyone not meeting these criteria will not be eligible for assessment in the first year of the drug being available.  

Please do not contact your GP; if you are eligible to be assessed you will be contacted over the coming months and invited to attend an appointment for assessment. Those with the greatest clinical need will be contacted first, so this may mean you have to wait a little longer for an appointment, however it is our intention that anyone who meets the above criteria will have been invited for an assessment over the next 12 months. 

The service in Staffordshire & Stoke-on-Trent will be provided by General Practice ‘hubs’, this means you may be asked to attend a location that is not your normal GP practice but will still be accessible. GP practices have been asked to work together to ensure that you have better access to the specialist skills needed to deliver a holistic lifestyle assessment. The hubs will be managed by GPs from your local ‘primary care network (PCN)’ and your registered GP will be updated with all your progress and assessments. 

We recognise that a number of patients who have been taking the medication privately will be affected by the announcement of 14th August, outlining price increases to the Mounjaro injections. The NHS position still remains the same; we will only be offering the injection to those who meet the criteria set out above. Your GP will be able to support you with a conversation about managing your weight but will not be able to prescribe Mounjaro.   

If you are looking for support to help you manage your weight you can find useful information and resources on the ICS website at https://staffsstokeics.org.uk/local-weight-management-services/ and on the dedicated page for weight management medication at Weight Management Medication – Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, ICS . 

Patients with a complaint about this matter, should contact the Patient Advisory Liaison Services at patientservices@staffsstoke.icb.nhs.uk .

 

 

Influenza Programme and Covid-19 Autumn Booster 2025

 

Influenza Programme and Covid-19 Autumn Booster 2025

Covid-19 Vaccination – Autumn 2025

There has been a significant change to the national Covid-19 vaccination programme this year. Covid vaccinations will ONLY be offered to adults aged 75 years and over, residents in care homes for older adults and those who are immunosuppressed. This represents a change from the Autumn 2024 programme (which also included adults aged 65-74 and those in a clinical at-risk group) to vaccination of those at highest risk of serious disease.

Eligibility (from October 2025):

· adults aged 75 years and over

· residents in a care home for older adults

· Individuals who are immunosuppressed

Note: This is a nationally agreed change (not a local decision) and is based on JCVI advice.

· Covid-19 vaccines will only be given alongside the flu vaccine to those eligible.

 

Flu Vaccination – Autumn 2025

From September 2025 (early start):

· Pregnant women

· Some immunocompromised patients (for example, receiving chemotherapy)

· Children aged 2 or 3 years on 31st August 2025

Primary school children (Reception to Year 6) and Secondary school children (Years 7-11) will be offered their vaccination as part of the School Immunisation Programme.

From October 2025:

· Patients aged 65 years and over

· Those aged 18 years to under 65 years in a clinical at-risk group

· Patients in long stay residential care homes

· Carers

· Close contacts of immunocompromised individuals

· Frontline health and social care staff (patient contact)

Why October? Flu vaccine protection wanes over time, so vaccinating closer to the peak season (December–January) gives better protection.

 

Booking Your Vaccination

  • Clinics will be held Wednesday evenings from 1st October 5.30 pm- 7.30pm
  • Saturday 4th October and Saturday 18th October 

· Eligible patients will receive a text invitation with a self-booking link.

· If your mobile number has changed or is missing, please contact the practice to update it.

. No mobile? Please contact the surgery to book an appointment, we will also contact you.

 

Protect yourself, your family and friends, and the NHS this winter.

We strongly encourage all eligible patients to take up their free flu and Covid vaccinations when offered.

Page last reviewed: 27 August 2025
Page created: 10 February 2022