NHS Introduces £3,000 Bonus for GPs Prescribing Weight-Loss Drugs

The UK's National Health Service (NHS) is introducing a new financial mechanism to increase the availability of obesity drugs. From April 2026, general practitioners (GPs) in England will be able to receive an annual bonus of up to £3,000 for prescribing anti-obesity drugs, commonly known as 'weight-loss injections'. This bonus will be incorporated into the standard contract with GP practices as part of the so-called Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF). This is the first time obesity treatment has been included in this contract. The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting, emphasizes that the goal is to ensure access to therapy based on medical need, not the patient's ability to pay. Obesity has been recognized as one of the most serious health challenges in the United Kingdom for decades. Adult obesity rates have been steadily rising since the 1980s. Governments under successive prime ministers, both Conservative and Labour, have introduced various strategies to combat this phenomenon, often focusing on education and promotion of a healthy lifestyle. Only in recent years, with the emergence of a new class of effective drugs (GLP-1), has pharmacology become a key element of the state's response. The mass implementation program for these drugs began in the NHS in the summer of 2025, but with restrictive eligibility criteria. As the health department points out, 'not all practices prescribe weight-loss drugs,' which created a significant gap in the program's implementation. Consequently, it is estimated that the majority of the approximately 2.4 million Britons taking these drugs do so through private paid care. The new bonus aims to encourage doctors to more actively enroll eligible patients into the NHS program. In addition to the main incentive, practices will receive additional funds – about £1,000 annually – for referring patients to specialized weight management programs, indicating a holistic approach combining pharmacology with behavioral interventions.

Perspektywy mediów: Liberal media may emphasize the progressive nature of the decision, which aims to reduce health inequalities and popularize modern treatment. Conservative commentary may criticize the waste of public funds and artificially driving demand for expensive drugs, instead of promoting self-discipline.