To tackle obesity rates in the United Kingdom, Health Minister Wes Streeting has proposed giving new weight-loss injections to unemployed individuals. This plan aims to help people get back to work while also easing the financial strain on the National Health Service (NHS). As part of this initiative, trials will be held in Greater Manchester to see if weight-loss injections can reduce unemployment and their effects on NHS services, The Telegraph reported.
In his column for The Telegraph, Streeting pointed out that “widening waistbands” are contributing significantly to the NHS’s costs, which amount to about £11 billion a year which is even more than smoking.
“It’s holding back our economy. Illness caused by obesity causes people to take an extra four sick days a year on average, while many others are forced out of work altogether,” he added.
Streeting suggested that the newest weight-loss medications which include drugs like semaglutide and tirzepatide could be provided to individuals to help them back into employment and reduce costs for the health service, he noted.
The Health Minister’s proposal comes at a time when the government announced a £279 million investment from Lilly, the world’s largest pharmaceutical company, made on the same day Prime Minister Keir Starmer hosted an international investment summit.
In his article for The Telegraph, Streeting continued, “The reforms this government will put in place will open the NHS up to work much more closely with life sciences, to develop new, more effective treatments, and put NHS patients at the front of the queue.”
He believed the long-term benefits of the weight-loss drugs could be “monumental” in the battle against obesity. He further mentioned that for many individuals these “weight-loss jabs will be life-changing,” helping them return to work and alleviating pressures on the NHS.
However, Streeting also stressed the importance of personal responsibility, stating that individuals must take “healthy living more seriously.” He cautioned that “NHS can’t be expected to always pick up the tab for unhealthy lifestyles”.
Starmer expressed his support for the initiative during a recent appearance on the BBC, thinking that these weight-loss drugs could be significant for “economy and for health.”
“This drug will be very helpful to people who want to lose weight, need to lose weight, very important for the economy so people can get back into work,” he added.
He further stressed that while more funding is important for the NHS, it is equally essential to adopt new approaches to improve its effectiveness.
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