Streamlined referrals for weight management pathways

The Weight Management Referral Hub is now live. The hub will make it easier for primary care professionals to refer eligible patients onto a weight management medicated pathway or a Tier 3 non-medicated pathway.

How it works

Referral forms are now embedded directly in your primary care clinical system for quick and secure completion.

When you believe a patient may qualify for the community or specialist weight management pathway, simply:

  • Open the referral form ‘NHS Obesity Medication Pathway’ in your clinical system.
  • In the first section tick if you require a non-medicated Tier 3 wraparound service only
  • Complete the required patient details and clinical criteria.
  • Submit electronically to our referral hub for triage and follow-up. Livewell@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk

Our referral team will review each submission and contact eligible patients to start their journey and offer them the appropriate intervention and provider.

Benefits of the new referral hub

  • Simple, secure referral process
  • Quicker access for patients to assess their readiness for change
  • Dedicated support from our specialist team whilst waiting well
  • Offer choice of providers and models of service

Need help?

If you have questions about the referral process, please contact: plannedcare@nhsdorset.nhs.uk.

Useful Contacts

Frequently Asked Questions

Referral Process

Yes. The referral form is available on Quick Referrals – NHS Dorset and Arden’s Communications Dorset templates: ‘NHS Obesity Medicated Pathway’ (See referenced screenshot).

A quick-access version is also available in SystmOne (see referenced screenshot).

The form is to be completed for patients with a BMI 35+/32.2+, for whom you are seeking access to specialist non-medicated or medicated Weight Management offers.

If a patient has already completed Tier 3 specialist weight-management interventions and requires bariatric surgery, they can be referred directly to the Tier 4 Bariatric Team without going through the Weight Management Referral Hub.

Patients who have not received Tier 3 specialist weight-management interventions must be referred to the Weight Management Referral Hub, where they will be supported to complete Tier 3 requirements.

For detailed bariatric criteria, please refer to the Evidence Based Intervention (EBI) Bariatric Surgery Policy.

All referrals must go through the Weight Management Referral Hub (Live Well Dorset).
Old Oviva referral forms will no longer accepted and will be rejected.

Yes. The ‘NHS Obesity Medicated Pathway’ referral form includes an option for the Tier 3 non-medicated pathway.

All referrals—medicated or non-medicated—must be made through the Weight Management Referral Hub.

This is the responsibility of the registered GP practice. In Bulletin 4 we provided details on published searches in SystmOne for eligible patients in Cohort 1 and Cohort 2:

Folder: DorsetSystmOneGPs / Weight Management / Community Weight Management

NHS Dorset will run supportive communications that avoids overwhelming practices.

Specialist Weight Management Providers

  • Medicated Pathway Specialist Weight Management Providers:

    Modality, Mid Dorset PCN, BSOP (Living Well Taking Control), Oviva

  • Non-Medicated Specialist Weight Management Provider:

    Oviva

  • Medication: Mounjaro® (Tirzepatide)
  • Duration: Open ended outcome-based prescribing with one-off wraparound 9-month digital programme and ongoing support through hub after concluding 9 month programme as requested
  • Service information: TBC

  • Medication: Mounjaro® (Tirzepatide)
  • Duration: Ongoing treatment one-off wraparound 9-month digital programme and ongoing support through hub after concluding 9 month programme as requested
  • Service information: TBC

  • Medication: Wegovy® (Semaglutide)
  • Duration: Up to 2 years medication with included wraparound support
  • Service information: TBC

  • BSOP provides the mandatory behavioural support for obesity prescribing (Tirzepatide), providing tailored support that’s easy to follow, encouraging and enjoyable.
  • Patients are referred by the Prescribing organisation to one of three options:
    • Remote Service – join 13 group session online over 9 months, with the option to dial in by telephone if preferred
    • Digital Service – receive one-to-one support using your smartphone or tablet over 9 months
    • In-Person – attend 13 group sessions delivered over 9 months in local venues. These sessions are delivered together with participants attending the diabetes prevention programme.
  • A health coach from Living Well Taking Control will contact the patient to welcome them to the programme and choose the pathway (options above) which best supports their health goals.
  • www.lwtcsupport.co.uk

Oviva are prescribing semaglutide in accordance with the criteria described in our clinical policy.

The cohort from January 2026 will be BMI>35 with 4 qualifying co-morbidities.

If the incorrect form has been used.

If mandatory data has not been supplied on the NHS Obesity Medicated Pathway form.

If patient is eligible for non-medicated but the non-medicated box has not been ticked on the referral form.

Eligibility Criteria

Suitable for anyone wanting general healthy lifestyle support, regardless of BMI.

Options include:

  • Live Well Dorset – Support for people with <BMI 25 and those with BMI healthy range with other lifestyle improvements
  • NHS Better Health website (apps and resources)
  • Advice from GPs, nurses, or pharmacists
  • No referral required

Structured support involving physical activity, diet, and behaviour change for patients <BMI 25
Delivered digitally, with coaching, or in group settings.

Options include:

All Tier 3 referrals must be made via the Weight Management Referral Hub (Live Well Dorset).

Medicated Pathway – Eligibility

Patients must:

  • Have a BMI ≥35 kg/m², or ≥32.5 kg/m² for people from minority ethnic backgrounds
    AND
  • Have at least four of the following long-term conditions:
    • Type 2 diabetes
    • Hypertension
    • Dyslipidaemia
    • Established cardiovascular disease
    • Obstructive sleep apnoea

(Source: NHS England Interim Commissioning Guidance – NICE TA1026)

Non-Medicated Pathway

Patients requiring Tier 3 non-medicated support will be referred to Oviva via the Referral Hub. Eligibility includes a BMI >35, and the “non-medicated pathway” option must be selected on the NHS Obesity Medicated Pathway form to indicate the GP’s intention.

For patients with severe, complex obesity requiring surgical or advanced medical interventions.

  • BMI ≥50: bariatric surgery may be considered first-line.
  • For patients with BMI <50, referral criteria are outlined in the EBI Bariatric Surgery Policy.

Yes. The same local eligibility criteria applies to both weight-loss medications.

Weight Management Referral Forms

Tirzepatide for weight management can be provided within the tier 4 weight management service and locally commissioned community weight management service.

Referral to the community weight management service is available for GPs via SystmOne letter template “NHS Obesity Medication Pathway” and for Secondary Care clinicians by accessing the NHS Obesity Medication Pathway (Referral Form)