In June of 2020 there were a total of 16,131 NHS prescriptions for the drug and that grew in the last four years to a peak of 68,057 in March of 2023.David Dubas-Fisher and Liam Thorp Political Editor
05:00, 02 Sep 2025
Mounjaro is being prescribed on the NHS
In just twelve months, the number of NHS Mounjaro prescriptions has overtaken total NHS prescriptions for key drugs like Tamoxifen, which can slash the risk of breast cancer in women. But some parts of Merseyside are seeing far more prescriptions for the drug than others.
In June of 2020 there were a total of 16,131 NHS prescriptions for the drug and that grew in the last four years to a peak of 68,057 in March of 2023.
Prescriptions for Mounjaro are expected to continue to rise sharply. From June this year thousands more patients were given access to the drug via their GP for the first time.
Previously patients could only be prescribed Mounjaro through a special weight loss service.
Here in the Liverpool City Region, there are two boroughs leading the way in terms of Mounjaro prescriptions.
Wirral is out in front, with a total of 9,594 prescriptions, which works out at 298 prescriptions per every 10,000 people.
The NHS in Halton has similarly large figures, with a total number of prescriptions of 3,816 working out at an average of 296 for every 10,000 people.
The third highest NHS area in our region is Southport and Formby, where 1,719 prescriptions have been issued. This works out at 147 per 10,000 people in the area.
You can see how the rest of the region shapes up in terms of prescriptions using our special map tool below.
Current NHS guidelines state that patients must have a body mass index of 40 or more plus four or more weight-related health issues – such as diabetes and high blood pressure – before they are eligible for the drug.
The threshold will be lowered from next April to apply to people with a BMI of 35 or more.
Our exclusive analysis also shows that parts of the country are prescribing the drug more than others.
In North Lincolnshire, the rate of prescriptions is three times higher than the average for the country as a whole.
The NHS region covering North Lincolnshire has issued 9,239 Mounjaro prescriptions up to and including May 2025. It works out at 543 for every 10,000 people currently living there, which is the highest rate in the country.
The national average is 190 per 10,000.