Getting Semaglutide on a Private Prescription in the UK

Step 1: Work out which route is open to you

The starting point for getting semaglutide is deciding whether you're pursuing an NHS prescription or going privately. Both are legitimate; they just look very different in practice.

On the NHS, semaglutide (Wegovy) is recommended by NICE under TA875 for adults with a BMI of 35 or above and at least one weight-related condition, used within a specialist weight management service for a maximum of two years. Ethnic-background thresholds are 2.5 kg/m² lower across several groups under UK guidance. In practice, many people are referred but then face long waits, and not every area has a pathway open yet. If you don't meet the criteria or can't wait, a private prescription is the other path.

Privately, the same licensed eligibility applies: adults with a BMI of 30 or above, or 27 or above with a qualifying condition such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol or obstructive sleep apnoea. A prescriber still makes the final call based on your full health picture, a BMI figure alone doesn't confirm suitability. Our treatment overview page sets out how the licensed options compare if you're still deciding.

Step 2: Find a GPhC-registered online pharmacy and complete a clinical consultation

If you're going private, the consultation comes before anything else. A legitimate pharmacy will ask about your medical history, current medicines, BMI (with live verification, not self-report), and relevant conditions. At nume, a GPhC-registered Independent Prescriber reads every consultation personally the same day, not software, not a triage bot.

Before you share any medical information or payment details with an online service, check the pharmacy on the GPhC register. A registered pharmacy will have a GPhC premises number you can search. nume's registration number is 9012878, verifiable at the GPhC's site. If you can't find a pharmacy on that register, stop. The MHRA has documented serious harm from counterfeit pens sold without clinical oversight, fake products have been found to contain entirely the wrong medicines.

If you'd prefer to read more about the online ordering process before starting, our guide to getting Wegovy online covers what to look for in a provider.

Step 3: Identity and weight verification, then prescription and dispatch

A responsible private prescriber won't simply take your word for your weight. At nume, patients verify weight on a live video call and go through photo-ID checks. This matters clinically, not just administratively, the prescription is tailored to you, and the prescriber's professional registration depends on accuracy.

Once approved as clinically suitable, medicines are dispensed from a GPhC-registered pharmacy through the licensed UK supply chain. Orders placed before midday on a working day are dispatched the same day and arrive the next working day via DPD, in plain unbranded packaging. There are no subscriptions. Before each repeat, a prescriber reviews your progress again, dose increases require clinical sign-off, not just a click.

One practical note on cost: where you buy Wegovy privately affects more than price. A headline figure that strips out consultation fees, delivery or aftercare support can look low until you add those back. Eli Lilly's UK list price for Mounjaro (tirzepatide) rose significantly from September 2025, and Wegovy pricing has moved in a similar direction, typical private monthly costs now sit in a range where the difference between providers is rarely the biggest variable. The clinical quality of the assessment and the reliability of the supply chain matter more.

Step 4: Starting treatment and knowing what to expect

Semaglutide titrates upward slowly. The starting dose is well below the maintenance level, giving your body time to adjust before the therapeutic dose is reached. Your prescriber sets the schedule; your Patient Information Leaflet carries the exact detail. The guide to starting Wegovy covers the practical questions, injection technique, storage, what to eat in the early weeks.

Side effects are mostly gastrointestinal: nausea, loose stools, constipation and indigestion are the most commonly reported, particularly after a dose step-up. They're usually transient. Severe or persistent stomach pain that extends toward the back is different, that's a symptom that warrants urgent medical attention, and the MHRA highlighted acute pancreatitis as a known, if infrequent, risk in a Drug Safety Update issued in January 2026. If you want a fuller picture of what to watch for, the semaglutide overview covers the side-effect profile in more detail.

Women taking oral contraceptives should talk to their prescriber about whether additional contraception is advisable during treatment. If you're taking other medicines regularly, it's worth flagging them at consultation, semaglutide can interact with certain drugs, and the interaction with levothyroxine is one of the more commonly asked-about examples. It's also worth thinking ahead to how treatment ends, and our guide to getting off Wegovy explains what that process typically involves and how to approach it safely. When you're ready to explore whether this treatment is right for you, check your eligibility with our clinical team.