In an alarming trend for the NHS, diabetes medications now account for a staggering 15% of all prescription spending in England, with costs skyrocketing by 18% over the past year, according to the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). This surge has raised eyebrows and sparked discussions about healthcare spending.

The newly released figures, dated August 21, 2025, reveal that approximately 3.9 million patients were receiving diabetes treatments in the 2024/2025 period—a significant 7% increase from the 3.6 million reported the previous year. Over the last decade, the number of patients on diabetes medications has skyrocketed by a whopping 43%, leaping from 2.7 million in 2015/2016.

Among the standout medications is Mounjaro (tirzepatide; Eli Lilly), which saw an astonishing increase in spending of £120 million—an incredible 340-fold rise compared to the year before. Licensed for managing type 2 diabetes and aiding weight management, Mounjaro's prescribing numbers exploded from just 2,242 patients in 2023/2024 to 188,065 in 2024/2025.

Approved for weight loss in November 2023 and available on the NHS since June 2025, Mounjaro's rapid adoption highlights the increasing reliance on innovative treatment options.

The data further uncovers a concerning trend: diabetes medications have been prescribed disproportionately more in areas with higher deprivation levels over the past decade. In the most deprived regions of England, an alarming 986,708 patients received these medications, costing £467 million. In contrast, the least deprived areas saw only 637,293 patients, totaling £307 million.

Hannah Beba, a consultant pharmacist for diabetes at West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership, sheds light on this pattern. "There's been a continuous influx of new diabetes medications and technology recently. They not only show promising results for treating type 2 diabetes but also play a crucial role in preventing related health complications, like cardiovascular diseases," she stated.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) echoed this sentiment in August 2025 by recommending sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors and glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists for type 2 diabetes patients. This marks a revolutionary shift in diabetes care, dubbed the biggest overhaul in a decade, emphasizing a move towards personalized treatment.

Beba emphasized that the prevalence of type 2 diabetes is disproportionately high in deprived communities, aligning with the increased spending on medications in these areas. "We need varied solutions that cater to individual needs," she concluded. According to analysis from The Pharmaceutical Journal, the Midlands NHS commissioning region emerged as the highest prescriber of Mounjaro, with 43,478 items prescribed in May 2025, serving a GP-registered population of around 12 million. Conversely, London lagged behind with a mere 21,066 prescriptions for the same drug, despite having approximately 11 million people registered in GP practices.

As the spending continues to rise, the urgent need for effective prevention strategies linked to obesity management becomes more crucial than ever.