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Ozempic (semaglutide) - prescribed properly, reviewed relentlessly.

A once-weekly GLP-1 injection for type 2 diabetes - with the licensed weight-management routes (Wegovy, Mounjaro) explained honestly. Doctor-led prescribing, baseline bloods, careful titration and a plan for stopping, not just starting.

See indicative pricing
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Indicative pricing

What private semaglutide costs in the UK.

Indicative ranges across UK private providers and registered pharmacies.

In short

from £120–£300 a month, reviews every three months.

Procedure Indicative range
Initial prescriber consultation + baseline bloods £150–£350
Ozempic (semaglutide) - monthly, 0.25–0.5 mg £120–£200/month
Ozempic (semaglutide) - monthly, 1–2 mg £180–£300/month
Wegovy (weight-management semaglutide) - monthly £150–£300/month
Follow-up review (three-monthly) £75–£150
Dietitian support package (optional) £200–£500

Prices vary by dose, by product (Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus) and by how much dietitian and review support is bundled in. Prices that look dramatically cheaper usually mean compounded or imported product - which we never arrange.

The problem

The right product, a real prescriber, and a plan beyond the pen.

Semaglutide prescribing has a quality problem - tick-box online forms, unlicensed copies, and no thought given to what happens when the injections stop. We fix all three before you start.

  • Licensed product only

    Compounded and imported semaglutide is unregulated and has hospitalised people.

  • A doctor who examines the whole picture

    Bloods, medicines, pancreatitis history, pregnancy plans - reviewed by a GMC-registered prescriber, not an algorithm.

  • An exit strategy from day one

    Weight regain after stopping is the norm without a plan. Protein, strength work and a maintenance strategy are built in from the first consultation.

When it helps

When semaglutide is the right step.

The situations we see most, plus the one red flag that means stopping the drug and seeking same-day care.

  • Type 2 diabetes not at target

    HbA1c stubbornly above target despite metformin and lifestyle work - the licensed core use of Ozempic.

  • Diabetes with cardiovascular disease

    Semaglutide reduces major cardiovascular events in type 2 diabetes with established heart disease - a genuine reason to choose it.

  • Diabetes plus obesity

    When weight is driving the diabetes, a GLP-1 tackles both - typically 10–15 percent body-weight loss alongside better glucose.

  • Weight management (BMI 30+, or 27+ with conditions)

    This is Wegovy territory - the weight-management semaglutide - prescribed within a structured programme, not as a standalone pen.

  • Intolerant of other diabetes drugs

    Hypos on sulfonylureas or intolerance of other agents - a once-weekly GLP-1 with low hypo risk is often the better fit.

  • Wanting to avoid insulin

    For many with type 2 diabetes, an effective GLP-1 delays or avoids the move to insulin altogether.

  • Kidney protection in diabetes

    Semaglutide has shown meaningful kidney benefits in type 2 diabetes with chronic kidney disease - increasingly part of the decision.

  • Red flag: severe abdominal pain on treatment

    Persistent severe upper abdominal pain radiating to the back can be pancreatitis - stop the injection and seek same-day care.

Procedure options

Semaglutide is one tool - the choice around it matters.

What each option involves - Ozempic, Wegovy, the oral form, the honest comparison with tirzepatide, and the programme that should surround any of them.

  • Ozempic (semaglutide)

    The once-weekly injectable licensed for type 2 diabetes. Doses of 0.25 mg (run-in), 0.5 mg, 1 mg and 2 mg, in a pre-filled pen.

  • Wegovy (semaglutide 2.4 mg)

    The same molecule at higher dose, licensed specifically for weight management alongside diet and activity - the correct route if weight, not diabetes, is the goal.

  • Rybelsus (oral semaglutide)

    A daily tablet form for type 2 diabetes - useful for the needle-averse, though absorption rules (empty stomach, small water sip) demand discipline.

  • Mounjaro (tirzepatide)

    A dual GIP/GLP-1 agonist that outperforms semaglutide for both HbA1c and weight in trials - often the honest comparison to discuss before starting.

  • Other GLP-1 options

    Dulaglutide (Trulicity) and liraglutide remain reasonable alternatives where supply, tolerance or cost make semaglutide the wrong pick.

  • Metformin and the rest of the toolkit

    Metformin, SGLT2 inhibitors and lifestyle change remain the foundation - a GLP-1 is added to good care, not instead of it.

  • Structured weight programmes

    Prescribing works best inside a programme - dietitian input, strength training to protect muscle, and a maintenance plan for when the drug stops.

  • Stopping and maintenance

    Weight regain after stopping is common. A tapering and maintenance strategy is part of the plan from day one, not an afterthought.

Safety and recovery

What to expect afterwards - honestly.

Semaglutide is well studied and, for the right person, very effective. The things worth planning are the gut side effects, the rare-but-serious risks, and the exit.

  • Nausea is the price of admission - usually temporary

    Nausea, fullness, constipation or diarrhoea affect most people early on. Slow titration, smaller meals and less fat settle it for the large majority within weeks.

  • Pancreatitis - rare but real

    Severe, persistent upper abdominal pain radiating to the back needs same-day assessment and the drug stopped. A history of pancreatitis usually rules semaglutide out.

  • Gallstones and rapid weight loss

    Losing weight quickly raises gallstone risk. Right-upper-abdominal pain after fatty food deserves an ultrasound, not stoicism.

  • Muscle loss matters

    A meaningful share of GLP-1 weight loss can be lean mass. Adequate protein and resistance exercise are part of the prescription, especially over 60.

  • Who should not take it

    Pregnancy or trying to conceive, personal or family history of medullary thyroid cancer or MEN2, and previous pancreatitis. Semaglutide must be stopped at least two months before conceiving.

  • Red flags on treatment

    Severe abdominal pain, persistent vomiting with dehydration, symptoms of low blood sugar (if combined with insulin or sulfonylureas), or vision changes in diabetics need same-day advice.

Reading your treatment summary

Your treatment summary in four parts. Read the last one first.

Whichever pathway you are on - diabetes or weight management - the summary your prescriber sends after each review keeps to the same shape.

A UK prescriber reviewing a patient’s semaglutide treatment summary

A quiet reminder

HbA1c, eGFR, titration schedules - the jargon piles up. We translate it for you.

If you would like us to talk you through your numbers and what the next dose step means, just ask.

  1. 01 Header

    Indication and pathway

    Whether you are prescribed semaglutide for type 2 diabetes or weight management, the product chosen, and the baseline numbers that justify it.

  2. 02 Technique

    Dose schedule and titration

    Your current dose, the planned step-ups, and how side effects have shaped the pace - including any steps repeated or paused.

  3. 03 Findings

    Response so far

    HbA1c and weight change since starting, blood pressure, and any blood-test changes worth watching - kidneys, lipase, lipids.

  4. 04 Impression

    The plan - continue, adjust or stop

    Read this first: whether the drug is earning its place, the next review date, and the maintenance or exit strategy.

Recognised by major UK insurers

BupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealix

Most UK insurers do not cover weight-loss medication, and diabetes drug cover varies by policy - though consultations and bloods are often claimable.

Frequently asked

Everything we get asked about Ozempic.

Quick answers on how it works, Ozempic versus Wegovy, side effects, cost and NHS access.

  • What is Ozempic and how does it work?

    Ozempic is a once-weekly injection of semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist. It mimics a natural gut hormone - boosting insulin release when glucose is high, suppressing appetite, and slowing stomach emptying. In the UK it is licensed for type 2 diabetes; the weight-management version of semaglutide is Wegovy.

  • Can I get Ozempic just for weight loss?

    Ozempic itself is licensed for type 2 diabetes, and responsible UK prescribers reserve it for that. If weight is the goal, the correct route is Wegovy (semaglutide 2.4 mg) or Mounjaro, prescribed within a structured weight-management programme for people with a BMI of 30 or more - or 27-plus with weight-related conditions.

  • How much weight will I lose?

    In trials, semaglutide at weight-management doses produced average losses of around 15 percent of body weight over 68 weeks, alongside diet and activity. On diabetes doses of Ozempic the average is more modest - typically 4–6 kg. Individual responses vary widely, and weight regain after stopping is common without a maintenance plan.

  • What are the main side effects?

    Nausea, constipation, diarrhoea and reflux - most prominent during dose increases and usually settling within weeks. Rarer but important: pancreatitis, gallstones and dehydration from persistent vomiting. It must not be used in pregnancy, and needs stopping at least two months before trying to conceive.

  • How much does private Ozempic cost in the UK?

    Typically £120–£200 a month at lower doses and £180–£300 at 1–2 mg, plus £150–£350 for the initial consultation and bloods and £75–£150 per follow-up review. Wegovy runs £150–£300 a month depending on dose. Beware prices that look far cheaper - compounded or imported semaglutide is unregulated and we never arrange it.

  • Can I get semaglutide on the NHS?

    For type 2 diabetes, yes - Ozempic is available when NICE criteria are met, usually after metformin. For weight loss, NHS access to Wegovy and Mounjaro is expanding through specialist weight-management services but remains limited, with waiting lists in many areas - which is why most weight-management prescribing is currently private.

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