HWiS poll results: Weight Loss Injections
Weight Loss Injections
March 2026
Healthwatch in Sussex (HWiS) sought people’s experiences of accessing or trying to access weight loss injections. 109 people from across Sussex shared their views with us.
We heard:
- Most respondents (74%) were ‘aware’ or ‘fully aware’ of the current eligibility criteria for accessing weight loss injections on the NHS (from 105 responses).
- Of the 59 respondents who had accessed weight loss injections, 42% did so through private regulated providers, 11% accessed through the NHS and 3% accessed injections through unregulated providers (i.e. beauty salons or through social media).
- Those who receive weight loss injections through the NHS are also eligible for behavioural and lifestyle support alongside the injections. 55% (6 people) told us that they have not received this support.
- Of those that paid privately for weight loss injections (45 people), no one told us they thought weight loss injections were ‘affordable’, 21% felt they were ‘somewhat affordable’ and 33% felt they were ‘not affordable’.
- Of those that had accessed weight loss injections (59 respondents), 87% had experienced weight loss, 67% had experienced improvements to their overall health as a result of the injections and 56% told us their mental health had improved as a result of the injections and 46% experienced negative side effects such as diarrhoea, headaches or constipation.
Public feedback
Accessing weight loss medications on the NHS is too difficult (37 comments):
"The system is failing people like me, my BMI is over 40, I have 3 of the listed health conditions, but I AM PRE-DIABETIC, so I suppose I should hope to become diabetic soon, as then I will qualify. I need help, but the current system is failing me.”
“Just wish the criteria for receipt of help wasn’t so rigidly applied. I tick the BMI box and 3 of the 5 other requirements but cannot be prescribed weight loss drugs.”
“Only assists people who are at risk of imminent death. Guidelines are too strict and could prevent people from developing all of those conditions and save NHS money if it were prescribed with less conditions to prevent the above.”
“I feel that the criteria for obtaining weight loss injections through the NHS are too restrictive and the benefits for a much larger group of people would outweigh the costs.”
Paying privately for weight loss injections is very expensive (17 comments):
“I should be eligible for these drugs. I am diabetic and am on a cocktail of drugs due to other health issues. Taking steroids makes it difficult to lose weight. I have paid privately for these drugs but am going to have to stop as they are now not affordable”
“I started buying injections privately, 1st Saxander and Wegovy via Boots and then Mounjaro through Medexpress - as at September 2025 I had lost 5 stone and was almost at goal - 1 stone to go. Unfortunately, then the price became unaffordable when Mounjaro increased and I have since put back on 2 stone which I am so disappointed in and it is affecting my physical and mental wellbeing again.”
“They work - they’re really good, but I can’t access them privately because of the cost, and I couldn’t get them on the NHS.”
Weight loss injections have had a positive impact on respondents' lives (15 comments):
“Weight loss injections have been transformative for me.”
“It was a game changer for me, my "food noise" stopped straight away and I am now eating less and maintaining my weight.”
“I have been on Mounjaro for a year and I have got a normal BMI now. For me, the most important thing was that it stopped the food noise. I didn't realise it was a thing that existed and to have it turned off was life changing. I feel able to make choices.”
Downloads
Read the full results with targeted data and respondent feedback.
