People go private for weight-loss jabs amid 10-year Welsh NHS waiting lists

People hoping to get weight-loss jabs on the NHS are going private as waiting lists for weight management services reach 10 years in parts of Wales. Waiting times for these services have doubled at two of Wales' seven health boards and quadrupled in one.

Hannah Long, 34, has polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) which has affected her weight since her early teens. Waiting lists in her health board, Cwm Taf Morgannwg, rose from 1,604 people in March 2024 to 3,146 in March 2025 and Hannah faced at least a two-year wait, so opted to buy Mounjaro privately in October 2025, losing four stone in six months.

The Welsh government said it was considering other options for prescribing weight-loss medicine. Prescriptions for Mounjaro were made available at GP surgeries in England in June 2025, but in Wales it is only available through specialist weight management services or those waiting for time-sensitive surgery on the NHS.

Jabs such as these work as an appetite suppressant, making people feel fuller, while Mounjaro also affects metabolism and helps regulate energy balance. According to the Welsh government, an estimated 186,000 people potentially meet the eligibility criteria for weight-loss jabs and more than 60% of adults are overweight or obese.

Diagnosed at 25, Hannah, from Aberdare, Rhondda Cynon Taf, was given different progesterone medications for her PCOS that saw her go from a size 16 to a size 20 in one year. She said she tried everything in the years after to manage her weight and, after hearing of the weight-loss jabs being made available through the NHS, was keen to try them. Yet after being told to expect a two-year wait for help through the NHS, Hannah bought the jab via an online pharmacy, but said the lack of supervision concerned her.

"A lot of people I know on Mounjaro are on waiting lists for the NHS," she said. "I don't want to be on a drug that isn't monitored by a doctor. I don't want to go any higher with my dosage without doctor supervision as I don't feel like that's safe."

Hannah dropped from 18st 8lb (118kg) to 14st 7lb (92kg) and said most of what she knew about jabs come from her own research. "All these online pharmacies, the only thing they ask you is how much have you lost in this period," she said.

Hannah said it was not feasible for her to pay for treatment long term herself - she has spent £1,000 in six months - and there was "a massive disparity between England and Wales" with waiting times and what GPs can do.

"There is no improvement in wait lists for any services in Wales... there is something wrong with Welsh NHS where there is no funding to help," she added.

Hannah was eventually seen by a weight management service after waiting nine months from her first referral in June 2025, but said it was only as she was diagnosed with sleep apnoea, which doctors suspected was caused by her weight. Despite her referral, Hannah needs to have completed a minimum of 12 weeks of "active intervention" with diet and exercise before being considered for weight management medication on the NHS.

Welsh government guidance mandates the prescribing of injectables for weight loss can only be accessed via level three specialist weight management service. To be referred for this service, individuals must have a BMI of more than 40 (or 37.5 for those from ethnic minority groups), at least one weight-related condition such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, sleep apnoea or severe arthritis, and have completed the level two weight management programme. The service provides personalised diet, exercise and psychological support for adults with obesity or complex weight-related health needs.

How long are the waiting lists for weight loss help?

Hywel Dda's doubled from 2,179 in November 2024 to 4,458 in November 2025 Cwm Taf Morgannwg's rose from 1,604 in March 2024 to 3,146 in March 2025 Swansea Bay's quadrupled from 324 in October 2024 to 1,425 in October 2025 Cardiff and Vale said wait times for level three management services were between nine and 10 years, with referrals to level two services increasing by 67% in the past two years Aneurin Bevan health board said routine referrals have been suspended due to extended wait times, with urgent referrals continuing, but "injectable medication capacity" capped at 25 new patients a year Powys heath board said waiting times were approximately 12 weeks and "remained broadly stable" Betsi Cadwaladr health board said there were 205 patients on level three service waiting list and 809 on level two

The Welsh government said it was considering other arrangements in the future, including primary care, and further decisions about the deployment of weight-loss medicines will be made as the new clinical pathway develops.

Rachel Bevan, 40, from Bridgend, started using Mounjaro in June 2024 after years of various diets, and can see herself using it for the foreseeable future. Despite having a BMI over 45, Rachel said she wouldn't have qualified for treatment on the NHS and now buys the medication from an online pharmacy.

"I was really unhappy, quite depressed with my weight," said Rachel, who was 16st 8lb (106kg) at the start of her weight-loss journey. The mum-of-two initially looked into the allurion gastric balloon, otherwise known as the gastric "pill" balloon, but was worried it may be a step too far and cost too much.

After researching her options, she opted for Mounjaro and lost five stone in about a year before losing more weight after skin removal surgery. "I just wish it was available 10 years ago," she said. "I feel like I've missed so much time and so much of my life being overweight and miserable, and now I'm sort of getting my life back. I've just hit 40 and I just feel like I'm coming back to Rach."

She started on the lowest dose of 2.5mg and then went up to 7.5mg for six months before dropping back down to 2.5mg for maintenance. "You're not thinking about food all the time and I've just been feeling so much happier on it as well," said Rachel, who is eating a protein-rich diet alongside the jabs.

However, Rachel said the monthly cost had gone up from £80 to £130 and with several of her friends, who are all mothers, also on Mounjaro but with mouths to feed and bills to pay, treatment was not always the priority. "We're all working full-time, you know, prioritising our career and then all saying the same things, you just don't get time."

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence published approval for the use of tirzepatide - sold under the name Mounjaro - in December 2024. Since then, Cardiff and Vale health board said it had seen an increase of 98% in referrals for weight-loss jabs and, due to concerns it could overwhelm the NHS, the service has been given 12 years to roll out the treatment.

Cwm Taf Morgannwg health board said it would not comment on individuals, but added that these cases "highlight the complexity of weight management services, particularly given the choices now available privately". It said it was committed to enabling people to make "healthy, informed decisions" through access to projects such as PIPYN, which works with children and their families and its wellness improvement service. A spokesperson said arrangements had been made for those with "urgent clinical need" to access the medicine while they work to develop a new model with wider access.

What do the political parties say?

Welsh Labour said its government had "ensured people waiting for surgery or organ transplants can access weight-loss medication, where weight loss would improve their outcomes. It is also available through specialist NHS weight management services".

Plaid Cymru said: "It is clear that Labour's historic approach to public health in Wales has failed and that a new emphasis on preventative care must be established, progressively shifting funding towards this objective and promoting healthier lifestyle choices, including food, sport and exercise."

Conservative health spokesman Peter Fox said: "Weight-loss medications prescribed appropriately could be seen as part of a preventative agenda which not only helps individuals with their personal wellbeing but could in turn save the health service budget considerably in the longer term."

The Welsh Liberal Democrats said: "If we want these treatments to work, we need proper investment in NHS capacity, weight management support and fair access for those who need it."

Reform and Wales Green Party have been asked to comment.