HOW TO BECOME THE GO-TO WEIGHT LOSS CLINIC
The demand for weight management isn’t a fad - it’s a healthcare shift that will define the next decade.
By Saam Ali, CEO @Pharmacy Mentor
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n the UK, 1.5 million people were using weight-loss jabs in March 2025, while private spending on these medicines has surged from £503m to £784m in under a year.
Search data tells the same story. Queries for Mounjaro have risen by almost 3,900% since early 2024, while searches for Wegovy, Ozempic and ‘weightloss clinic near me’ keep climbing month on month.
Patients are searching, spending and acting. The question is whether they’ll find your pharmacy or go somewhere else.
Why Pharmacies Need to Lead Pharmacies already hold what online disruptors lack: trust. Patients know you, they see you daily and they value your face-to-face care.
At the same time, some patients prefer the privacy and convenience of an online option. They may feel shy about seeking help in person, or simply want to begin their journey discreetly from home. By offering a digital prescribing pathway alongside in-clinic consultations you cater to both groups - those who want private online access and those who want local personal support . This hybrid model of convenience online and confidence in person is the future of weight management.
Building a Safe Online Prescribing Pathway A weight loss service can be designed in several ways, but it must always be safe and compliant. A typical journey looks like this:
1. Enquiry - Patient starts online with a form or booking.
2. Consultation - Delivered via digital questionnaire, secure video call or in- pharmacy appointment.
3. Clinical Review - An Independent Prescriber checks suitability and consents.
4. Supply - Medicines dispensed locally or sent through a secure, compliant delivery system.
5. Aftercare - Ongoing monitoring and repeat prescribing where appropriate.
There are now several systems that can facilitate this process, including website-based solutions and bespoke software platforms designed specifically for online prescribing. These allow
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