In News

Follow this topic

Bookmark

Record learning outcomes

Prescribing of antidepressant items in England is on the increase, according to the latest official figures.

A report by the NHS Business Services Authority revealed 92.6 million antidepressant items were prescribed to about 8.89 million patients in 2024-25, a 3.94 per cent rise on 2023-24.

Prescribing of CNS stimulants and ADHD drugs increased by 24.3 per cent for adults and 9.48 per cent for children from 2023-24, with 3.38 million items in total prescribed to 326,000 patients.

Higher levels of prescribing in four out of five BNF categories were in the most deprived parts of the country.

The number of drugs prescribed for dementia was at its highest level for 10 years, with 4.79 million items prescribed to 326,000 patients while 13.4 million hypnotics and anxiolytics items were prescribed to 1.85 million patients.

The number of barbiturate items prescribed fell by 97 per cent since 2015-16, while 13.9 million antipsychotic items were prescribed to 873,000 patients in 2024-25.

More female patients were prescribed antipsychotics, hypnotics and anxiolytics than male patients. Twice as many patients were prescribed antipsychotics in the most deprived areas compared with the least deprived.