Quality statement 6: Wraparound care alongside medicines for weight management
Quality statement
People living with overweight or obesity who are prescribed medicines for weight management receive wraparound care focusing on diet, nutrition and increasing physical activity. [new 2025]
Rationale
Medicines for weight management are recommended as options for people with relevant clinical criteria (specific to the medicine). The decision to start medicines should be made after discussion, and providing information, support and counselling on additional dietary, physical activity and behavioural strategies.
Quality measures
The following measures can be used to assess the quality of care or service provision specified in the statement. They are examples of how the statement can be measured, and can be adapted and used flexibly.
Process
Proportion of people living with overweight or obesity who are prescribed medicines for weight management who receive wraparound care.
Numerator – the number in the denominator receiving wraparound care.
Denominator – the number of people living with overweight or obesity who are prescribed medicines for weight management.
Data source: Data can be collected from information recorded locally by healthcare professionals and provider organisations, for example from the electronic medical record.
Outcome
Rates of overweight and obesity in people aged 16 and over.
Data source: Health Survey for England.
What the quality statement means for different audiences
Service providers (specialist overweight and obesity management services, primary care) ensure that protocols are in place for providing information, support and counselling on additional dietary, physical activity and behavioural strategies alongside prescription of medicines for weight management.
Health and social care practitioners (GPs, overweight and obesity management service staff) ensure that they provide and record any outcomes of information, support and counselling on additional dietary, physical activity and behavioural strategies alongside prescription of medicines for weight management.
Commissioners ensure that any services able to prescribe medicines for weight management have protocols in place to ensure that information, support and counselling on additional dietary, physical activity and behavioural strategies are provided alongside them.
People living with overweight and obesity receive support with making changes to what they eat and how active they are when they are given medicines to manage their weight.
Source guidance
Overweight and obesity management. NICE guideline NG246 (2025), recommendations 1.17.1 to 1.17.3 and 1.17.8 to 1.17.11
Definitions of terms used in this quality statement
Medicines for weight management
Medicines for managing a person's weight that are prescribed after dietary, exercise and behavioural approaches have been started and evaluated, and after discussion and agreement by adults living with overweight or obesity.
Medicines options for weight management in adults:
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tirzepatide
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semaglutide
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liraglutide
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orlistat.
Weight management medicines are not generally recommended for children under 12 years. In children under 12, medicines may be used only in exceptional circumstances, if severe comorbidities are present. Prescribing should be started and monitored only in specialist paediatric settings.
In children aged 12 years and over, treatment with orlistat is recommended only if physical comorbidities (such as orthopaedic problems or sleep apnoea) or severe psychological comorbidities are present, and if started in a specialist paediatric setting by a multidisciplinary team.
Medicines for children and young people may be continued in primary care, for example with a shared-care protocol, if local circumstances or licensing allow. [Adapted from NICE's guideline on overweight and obesity management, recommendations 1.17.1, 1.17.3 and 1.17.8 to 1.17.11. NICE's technology appraisal guidance on tirzepatide for managing overweight and obesity, NICE's technology appraisal guidance on semaglutide for managing overweight and obesity, and NICE's technology appraisal guidance on liraglutide for managing overweight and obesity]
Wraparound care
Information and support focusing on diet, nutrition and increasing physical activity. It is available through specialist weight management services or at the point of prescribing in primary care through the NHS England national programme and locally commissioned services. [Adapted from NICE's guideline on overweight and obesity management, recommendations 1.17.2 and 1.17.10]