How we compare providers
Last updated: 3 October 2026
Our approach
We score regulated UK providers of weight management services against a fixed set of criteria. Each criterion has a published weight, and the weights total 100. We focus first on safety and regulation, because choosing a properly regulated service matters more than anything else.
Criteria and weights
| Criterion | Weight | Effective weight | What we assess |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regulation and safety | 30% | 33.3% | Is the pharmacy registered with the GPhC and, where doctors prescribe, the service registered with the CQC (or the equivalent regulator in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland)? Are there any published enforcement actions or inspection concerns? |
| Transparency | 20% | 22.2% | Are prescriber details, full costs, subscription terms, cancellation and maintenance policies clearly published before you start a consultation? |
| Clinical process and support | 20% | 22.2% | How robust is the consultation (identity and weight verification, medical history, GP communication)? What ongoing clinical support is available, and how quickly? |
| Delivery and dispensing | 10% | 11.1% | Cold-chain packaging for injectables, delivery options, tracking and discreet packaging. |
| Price | 10% | Not scored | Total cost of treatment including consultation and delivery fees, recorded with a date and source. Only scored when price comparison is enabled. |
| Customer reviews | 10% | 11.1% | Independent customer review scores (such as Trustpilot), recorded with the date checked and number of reviews. Volume and recency are considered, not just the average. |
Price is not currently scored. Price comparison is switched off on this site at present, so we do not score providers on price. Its weight is redistributed across the other criteria in proportion to their published weights, which is what the “effective weight” column shows.
The evidence we use
Each criterion is scored only from evidence we can record with a source and date. We never score from impressions or from information a provider gives us privately.
- Regulation and safety: GPhC register entry; CQC register and inspection reports; Published enforcement notices.
- Transparency: Provider website terms and FAQs; Mystery-shop of the consultation journey.
- Clinical process and support: Consultation walkthrough; Published clinical governance information; Support channel testing.
- Delivery and dispensing: Provider delivery policy; Test orders where possible.
- Price: Price observations with source URL and date.
- Customer reviews: Trustpilot profile (date checked).
Read more about how we check these sources in our fact-checking process.
Unscored providers are listed alphabetically
A provider is only scored once its key details have been verified from primary sources. Until then, it is listed alphabetically, without a score or ranking position, and unverified details are shown as “Not yet verified”. A place in an alphabetical list is not a recommendation.
What does not affect scores
- Scores are never for sale. No provider can pay to be listed, scored, ranked or reviewed more favourably.
- Commission is not an input. Whether or not we earn commission from a provider, and how much, plays no part in its score. See how we make money.
How ties are handled
Overall scores are rounded to one decimal place. Where two or more providers have the same overall score, we order them by their regulation and safety score, then by transparency. If they are still level, they are shown alphabetically and marked as tied. We never break a tie in favour of a provider for commercial reasons.
How often we re-score
Providers are re-scored at least every three months, and straight away when we learn of a significant change, such as a change in regulatory status, an inspection report, or a change to how the service works. Each provider page shows the date it was last verified. Changes to the methodology itself are dated and explained on this page.
What would remove a provider
We will remove a provider from our comparisons, or suspend its score, if, for example:
- it is no longer registered with the relevant regulator, or we cannot confirm its registration;
- a regulator takes enforcement action, such as suspension, conditions or an improvement notice, that is relevant to the service;
- it supplies prescription-only medicines without an appropriate prescribing consultation;
- it makes claims we consider misleading or unsafe; or
- it stops offering weight management services in the UK.
Removals and suspensions are recorded on our corrections page.