The CQC rated the firm as ‘requires improvement’ in the areas of safety and leadership after receiving 50 formal complaints
A Liverpool weight-loss drug supplier has come under fire after customers claimed they were left out of pocket and without access to medication. One customer told the ECHO Dr Frank’s Weight Loss Clinic left them without medication or a refund for four months.
The firm, headquartered at Queens Dock, has a clinic on Liverpool’s historic Rodney Street, dubbed the Harley Street of the North. The company is rated “requires improvement” overall by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) after the watchdog received 50 formal complaints from disgruntled customers.
The ECHO has spoken to several frustrated customers, including one who claimed they were left without weight loss drugs or a refund for over four months. The CQC, whose report found improvement was required in the areas of safety and leadership but rated the company as “good” in all other areas, said a number of patients had contacted the watchdog to “complain about issues such as access to the customer services team, delayed or incorrect medicines and refunds”, and an online forum has been set up where customers share issues they say they have had with the company.
The firm, which launched nationwide in the USA last month, said a “small number” of its 40,000 customers had experienced delays and incorrect doses, struggled to contact customer service and experienced longer refund processing times, and apologised “unreservedly” to patients who “felt let down”. The firm said it was “disappointed” by the CQC rating issued in September and that it had “implemented new systems to strengthen safety, governance and patient experience”.
A spokesperson for Dr Frank’s said the firm had faced a “temporary period of exceptionally high demand” and national drug supply issues. It said the firm had “restructured” its team “to provide improved response times and introduced clearer, faster refund pathways.” It is understood that the firm outsourced some work to the Philippines during a surge in demand in August.
It is also understood that the company laid off customer service staff in Liverpool in October and that both the Liverpool and Philippines teams have been scaled back because of what is said to be a decline in patient demand across the industry, with staff based in the Philippines being used when customer demand cannot be met from the UK.
Several customers complained of difficulties contacting the firm’s customer service team, as well trouble in arranging and delays in receiving refunds.
The issues left customers without drugs and out of pocket, they said, with many saying they did not have the cash to go to other providers and continue their treatments. The firm, founded by leading consultant Professor Franklin Joseph, operates online, and has provided more than 100,000 prescriptions to people across the country, with patients told they should expect to receive their drugs within four days of their application being approved.
Diana Spencer, 59, from Preston, placed an order in May and said she had still not received any drugs by September, despite repeated attempts to contact the company, which have been seen by the ECHO. Diana had been using weight-loss drugs since March and was taking a dose of 10mg before ordering through Dr Frank’s in May. She said: “Dr Frank’s had really good reviews and good discounts, so I went with them.”
Diana spent £168 on her first dose, but said the drugs were never delivered. She said: “I was waiting for a week, and I contacted them. They told me it was on the way and that I could re-order to get a dose while I was waiting for the first one to arrive. But I waited and waited, and it was August and I hadn’t heard anything.”
Diana was told that the doses had not been sent out because she had not sent pictures of herself to the firm. She claims she did upload the images.
By that time, she said the price of a 10mg dose had increased, and Diana paid £189 in August. Diana said she attempted to get a refund, but said the firm stopped answering calls and emails once she asked. She said: “I would be on the phone, and it would say I was 30th in the queue, and you’d get all the way down to next in line and the call would go to engaged. It’s so upsetting.”
In correspondence seen by the ECHO, Diana’s attempts to contact the firm are met with automated responses.
The firm has attracted more than 1,200 negative Trustpilot reviews in which customers have given it the worst possible rating. These are outweighed by positive reviews, but the CQC said that positive reviews of the firm on a “non-validated opinion website” could not be relied upon as there had been a financial incentive to staff to receive such reviews. The firm said this practice was no longer in place.
The CQC described the firm as having seen a “significant increase in demand” after becoming “well known through national and social media”. Following a surge in orders in August and subsequent issues, and following a dip in orders, the firm laid off a number of members of staff in Liverpool, with a number of customer service staff laid off, according to a former employee. The firm hired a number of customer service representatives in August to cope with sky-rocketing demand, and says this team now deals with customer service queries when demand cannot be fulfilled by the Liverpool-based team.
Eli Lilley, manufacturer of Mounjaro, a popular GLP-1 drug supplied by Dr Frank’s, raised Mounjaro prices by 170% in August amid a push by the Trump White House to raise drug prices in Europe in order to lower costs for US consumers. It is understood deliveries were paused to UK wholesalers.
Ali Morgan, 55, from Plymouth, said she signed up to receive three 7.5mg doses of Mounjaro, but claimed to have instead received two 5mg doses and one 7.5mg dose. She said all doses arrived around two weeks late. She said: “I had to chase them up each time. Their customer service is appalling. They don’t reply. It takes ages to get any response.
“A couple of times I messaged them on Facebook because you tended to get a better response on there. I still didn’t get anywhere with my query. They kept saying it was low stock that had delayed the orders.”
Ali added: “I had to go somewhere else and pay out more money to get the dose I needed.”
Do you have information, a tip or a story? Contact jon.blackburn@liverpoolecho.co.uk
Sarah Price, 59, from Salford, paid £172.50 for Wegovy from Dr Frank’s in October. She claimed the money was taken from her account before the firm told her that her BMI was below the threshold and that she would have to have a consultation before the drugs could be sent out.
Sarah, a mental health practitioner, said she called every day for eight days, and said she was on hold for up to an hour before the call disconnected, and so was unable to arrange a consultation. She also attempted to contact the firm by email and via social media unsuccessfully.
On the ninth day, she said she finally got through to the firm, and a refund was arranged, but Sarah said she was told it would need to be approved by management at the firm before it was processed, and then she would wait between seven and 10 days for the funds to land back in her account after that decision was made.
A spokesperson for Dr Frank’s Weight Loss Clinic said: “Dr Frank’s is immensely proud that its team of medical experts have supported more than 40,000 patients across the country on their weight loss journey. Earlier this year we experienced a temporary period of exceptionally high demand coupled with well-publicised national drug supply shortages across the weight-management sector.
“This created pressures across the industry and, whilst regrettable, our team worked hard to manage the situation. We recognise a small number of patients experienced delays or an incorrect dose. These issues were dealt with as soon as we were able to and we apologise for any inconvenience this caused.”
“We also appreciate that some patients may have struggled to contact customer services or experienced longer refund processing times when demand peaked nationwide. We have since restructured our team to provide improved response times and introduced clearer, faster refund pathways.
“Out of more than 100,000 prescriptions safely dispensed, around 50 formal complaints were recorded – around 0.05%. Even so, we take every complaint extremely seriously. We are one of the few CQC-registered weight loss clinics and this is part of our commitment to providing the highest levels of patient safety and care.
“Whilst we were disappointed that the CQC rated the service as ‘requires improvement’ after its September 2025 inspection we immediately took on board their advice and implemented new systems to strengthen safety, governance and patient experience.
“Those improvements have continued, and our focus remains on providing safe, effective and high-quality care for every patient. We apologise unreservedly to any patient who felt let down by us and are confident that the new systems we have implemented will provide a smoother experience going forward.”
Do you have information, a tip or a story? Contact jon.blackburn@liverpoolecho.co.uk
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