The OH, a coalition of 60 health charities and medical royal colleges, is calling for an urgent comprehensive review of overweight and obesity treatment services across England in response to ‘longstanding issues with these services and an unprecedented public demand for new pharmaceutical treatments'.

More than 200 doctors and specialists have now raised concerns, warning that the introduction of these new obesity drugs is placing ‘immense pressure' on the already overstretched NHS services in England.

The call comes in the wake of a new report from the OHA, which underscores the urgent need for ‘pragmatic solutions' to address gaps in care, reduce health inequalities, and prevent long-term conditions such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and various cancers.

In its report, the OHA is urging the government to take immediate action by implementing the following measures:

• Conduct a full review of existing NHS obesity services to identify current challenges and present an economic case for expanding access to treatment.
• Introduce urgent NHS interventions to help clinicians prioritise access to weight-loss drugs, as demand continues to surge.
• Ensure every Integrated Care System (ICS) provides comprehensive obesity treatment services, eliminating the current "postcode lottery".
• Develop new weight-loss support strategies tailored to groups that are traditionally underrepresented in existing services, including older men and individuals from ethnic minority backgrounds.

In a letter to Wes Streeting, the Secretary of State for Health & Social Care, members of the OHA have urged the government to prioritise the long-standing issues, including chronic underfunding, workforce challenges, and unequal access to obesity services. They stress that addressing these challenges is critical to reducing long-term sickness and supporting economic growth.

Alfie Slade, government affairs lead at the Obesity Health Alliance, said: ‘The new weight loss drugs represent a breakthrough in treatment, giving hope to the millions of people struggling to manage their weight, but they also expose the weaknesses in our current obesity services. Without urgent government intervention, we will fail to meet the needs of millions of patients, leading to greater health inequalities.'

Dr Sarah Williams, NHS clinician, added: ‘We're seeing a tidal wave of unprecedented demand that we simply cannot meet with the resources currently available. The government needs to act now to make obesity services more equitable and sustainable. Clinicians are in a difficult position, having to ration life-changing treatments due to overwhelming demand.'

An NHS England spokesperson said: ‘The NHS is working with the Government and industry to develop new kinds of services which mean approved treatments can be rolled out safely, effectively and affordably, without impacting on other people's care.'