Mounjaro in Wrexham: How NHS Access Works in North Wales

Start with the decision you’re trying to make

If you want help with food, activity or routines, you can use the North Wales Help with my Weight service. If you’re asking whether a specialist can assess you for medication, look at the health board’s separate weight loss medication guidance. You can contact Help with my Weight yourself. The specialist service has separate referral rules, even if you’re already taking part in a programme.

Some people are looking up the medicine because another team asked them to lose weight before a procedure. Others have seen a friend receive a prescription in England. Say what prompted your question when you speak to the service. If an operation or another treatment is involved, ask the team responsible for it how they will monitor your progress and whether they need to speak to your GP.

A Wrexham GP practice can also help you check which health board covers you. This is useful if you moved from across the border or are still registered with a practice outside the area. The rules for GP prescribing in England are separate from the Welsh weight management guidance. Wales has limited exceptions for certain clinical situations and approved programmes. If a hospital team has raised this as part of your care, ask whether it can advise on your case. A post about a service in Chester or elsewhere across the border may describe a different route.

What can you refer yourself for?

The health board accepts self-referrals to Help with my Weight. It uses the information you provide to offer support that fits your circumstances. The service also accepts referrals from healthcare professionals. You can start by looking at the programme descriptions and then follow the self-referral link on the health board’s page.

The form asks for your height, weight and BMI. BMI, or body mass index, is a number calculated from your height and weight. If you need help with the form or are unsure which information to give, use the service’s contact details. Ask what the team can do if you need an interpreter, a more accessible appointment or help with an online form.

The health board lists KindEating, which is supported by dietitians, and a digital support option through Second Nature. It also lists programmes for some people with particular needs, such as hip or knee osteoarthritis. Each option has its own criteria. Start with the programme that addresses what is making things difficult for you, then ask whether it suits your health and circumstances.

If you live or work around Wrexham and your schedule changes every week, for example, say when you can take part. If joint pain makes standing to cook or walking difficult, explain what you can manage. The service can help you work out which options to discuss. A programme is easier to judge when you know what the meetings involve and how much time they take.

KindEating and referrals for Mounjaro in Wrexham

Betsi Cadwaladr says that, because its specialist service has limited capacity, people with a BMI over 45 can be considered for onward referral after completing KindEating. The health board advises people in this group to discuss referral with their GP. Check its current guidance before assuming a referral can go ahead. Completion of the programme is one step. The specialist team still needs to decide whether it can offer an assessment and what support it would recommend.

If you’ve completed KindEating, keep the date and any letter or summary you received. Ask your GP which information the specialist service needs and whether someone from the programme can help you obtain it. If you started a different course elsewhere, tell the GP or service which one you attended rather than assuming it will be treated as the same programme.

If you receive an appointment, write down what you want from it. You could ask what options the team considers, how it decides whether medication is appropriate and who will follow you up. Tell the clinician if you would need help getting to appointments or would prefer Welsh-language support. Ask the service what it can offer before making arrangements.

If you’ve started the course and something makes it hard to finish, contact the programme team before dropping out. Explain if you can’t attend at the usual time, need material in a different format or are unsure how to follow advice alongside another health problem. Ask what can be changed. If you’re already on a waiting list, keep the details of the team you last spoke to so you can tell them about a change in your health.

Make a short list for your next appointment

A short list is usually more useful than trying to tell the whole story at once.

• Note any support you’ve tried in North Wales and when it started or ended. Include any course you couldn’t complete and what got in the way.
• Bring your current medicines and the names of teams that are treating you. If you’re already prescribed a weight management medicine, note the strength and the date you last took it.
• Write down anything that makes changes to food or activity difficult, such as shift work, pain or trouble shopping or cooking.
• Ask who will contact you after the appointment. If there’s no referral, ask what you can start yourself and when it would make sense to check in again.

You can take a partner or another person you trust if the service permits it and you want help remembering what was agreed. If you would prefer to talk on your own, it’s fine to ask. Before the appointment ends, make sure you know which team you can contact if your circumstances change.

If you already take the medicine

If you take tirzepatide for type 2 diabetes, ask the team that looks after your diabetes about that prescription. This guide covers the route for weight management. The same medicine name can appear in both kinds of care.

If another clinician prescribes for your weight, ask that clinician what to do if a repeat or review is due. Tell the NHS team what you take if you ask about a referral, but keep in touch with the person responsible for your prescription while it’s being considered. If you have side effects or your supply is interrupted, seek advice about what to do before changing how you take it. NHS information on tirzepatide explains the medicine and points to further safety advice.

Questions about Mounjaro in Wrexham

Talk to a clinician about private weight support

You can ask The Care Pharmacy for a separate online weight management assessment. Mention any NHS referral and tell the clinician which medicines you already take. If you’re currently under another team’s care, ask who would be responsible for follow-up before agreeing to any change.

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Clinical reviewer

Mohammed Ismail Lakhi, MPharm, MRPharmS. Superintendent Pharmacist at The Care Pharmacy, GPhC registration number 2072815. Mohammed leads clinical governance at The Care Pharmacy.