Weight-loss drugs are a lifeline for people with severe mental illness: Why do they face a 12-year wait?

Today, NICE announced that the weight-loss jab Mounjaro will be rolled out on the NHS—a game-changing moment for tackling obesity. But with a potential 12-year wait for everyone to access it, this delay overlooks some of the most vulnerable people in our society.

As a mental health charity focused on caring for people with complex mental health needs, we see first-hand how psychiatric medications, essential for managing conditions like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, can cause significant weight gain. The unfortunate reality is that many people with mental health conditions avoid taking their medication because they’re afraid of gaining weight, even though these medications are crucial for managing their illness.

This isn’t just a cosmetic issue—obesity in these patients increases the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and worsens their overall health. Studies show that people with severe mental illness can die 15 to 20 years earlier than the general population, and the long-term effects of obesity are a major contributing factor.

Drugs like Mounjaro could be transformative, but they must be paired with tailored weight-loss programmes. At St Andrew’s, we’re already tackling this issue head-on with our STEP project, which explores the impact of Wegovy, a weight-loss medication similar to Mounjaro, for patients who have gained weight as a result of their antipsychotic treatment.

Whilst we understand the pressures on stretched NHS services, as a Charity, we are urging NICE to prioritise the most vulnerable in society. People with serious mental illness already face stark health inequalities. Mounjaro must be made available to those who most need it  - those whose lives could be transformed, not just by weight loss, but by the chance to live longer, healthier lives.