Wegovy at the Pharmacy Counter: How Collaboration Is Changing Public Health in the UK

If you’ve ever popped into your local pharmacy for more than just a prescription—maybe for a blood pressure check, flu jab, or even a quiet chat about your health—you already know: pharmacies are more than just medicine dispensers. They’re trusted, accessible, and often the first point of contact for people navigating their health.

So what happens when you bring that kind of everyday access into the same room as a public health campaign? That’s exactly what’s starting to happen across parts of the UK—with Wegovy playing a key role.

Let’s talk about how partnerships between public health bodies and pharmacies are helping more people access meaningful weight loss support—and why this kind of collaboration might just be the future of community-based care.

The Power of Joining Forces

Obesity has long been treated as a clinical problem—something handled behind GP doors or in specialist clinics. But weight management doesn’t always begin (or end) in a hospital. Sometimes, it begins with a simple question at the pharmacy counter: “Is there anything I can do about my weight?”

That’s why the NHS and local health authorities are beginning to team up with community pharmacies to help support the rollout of treatments like Wegovy. It’s about making support more visible, more accessible, and more integrated into daily life.

And the results? They're starting to speak for themselves.

What Collaboration Looks Like in Practice

In Birmingham, a public health pilot paired several high-street pharmacies with the city’s weight management services. Pharmacists were trained not just on the basics of Wegovy, but on how to talk with patients about their goals, concerns, and options—without judgment or pressure.

Patients could walk in, ask about their options, and get connected directly to local NHS services for follow-up and eligibility screening. For those already prescribed Wegovy, pharmacists played a crucial role in monitoring side effects, encouraging adherence, and offering regular support.

One pharmacist described it as “being a familiar face for unfamiliar territory. People felt more comfortable opening up here than they might have at a GP surgery.”

Other regions have explored joint public health campaigns, where pharmacies help distribute educational materials, host weight management events, or run informational drop-ins tied to local health initiatives.

What’s Working—and What’s Not

Like any cross-sector collaboration, these efforts come with both highlights and hurdles.

What’s working well:

• Convenience: Pharmacies are everywhere, and most of them are open long hours. That makes them ideal for busy people.

  
  

• Trust: People often see the same pharmacist regularly. That continuity helps build confidence.

  
  

• Catchment: Pharmacies reach people who might not be actively engaging with other healthcare services—especially in underserved areas.

  
  

But there are still some gaps to work through:

• Not all pharmacists feel confident enough to handle complex discussions about weight, especially if they haven’t received updated training.

  
  

• Access to joined-up patient records can be limited, making it hard to coordinate care across systems.

  
  

• Time pressure and staffing challenges can get in the way of deeper consultations.

  
  

That’s why best practice recommendations increasingly include things like:

• Ongoing training and support for pharmacy teams

  
  

• Clear, consistent communication channels between pharmacies and NHS services

  
  

• Shared digital tools for referrals and tracking

  
  

Voices from the Field

Michelle Green, a pharmacist in Sheffield, shared how her role shifted once her team was brought into a local Wegovy support project. “At first, I wasn’t sure how much of a difference we’d make. But patients would come back, week after week, asking questions and sharing their progress. I realised—we weren’t just handing over medication. We were part of their journey.”

Meanwhile, Dr. Ellis Mandeep, a public health lead in the West Midlands, emphasises that this kind of collaboration isn’t just a nice-to-have. “We need to think bigger about where healthcare happens. Pharmacies are woven into people’s lives. If we ignore that potential, we’re missing half the picture.”

Where It’s Heading

There’s growing interest in scaling these partnerships across more parts of the UK. With the NHS under pressure, tapping into community-based care models is not just convenient—it’s necessary.

Expect to see more:

• Training programmes designed specifically for pharmacists handling weight loss support

  
  

• Joint campaigns between public health bodies and pharmacy chains

  
  

• Digital systems that allow seamless referral and communication between providers

  
  

Wegovy might be the spark, but the real story is about creating health ecosystems that meet people where they already are.

When Familiar Places Offer New Possibilities

For a long time, weight loss support felt out of reach—tied up in long waiting lists, stigma, or a sense that “nothing works anyway.” But the landscape is changing.

By bringing pharmacies and public health campaigns together, we’re starting to see new pathways open up. Quieter ones. Closer to home. Built on connection, not complexity.

Wondering how to get started with weight loss support—or whether Wegovy might be a good fit for you? We can help you explore your options, understand the process, and take the next step in a way that feels manageable.