01.08.12
Antidepressant prescriptions increase by 3.9 million
The number of prescriptions for antidepressants dispensed in England last year rose by almost four million compared to 2010, according to new figures from the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC).
In 2011, there 46.7 million antidepressant prescriptions, a 9.1% increase on the previous year. This represents the largest rise in the 200 sections listed within the British National Formulary.
The report, Prescriptions Dispensed in the Community, England, 2011, shows that while the number of prescription items overall increased compared to the previous year, the total net ingredient cost to the NHS has fallen.
Overall 961.5 million prescription items were dispensed – an increase of 34.9, or 3.8%, on the previous year. This equates to an average of 18.3 prescription items per head of the population, compared to 17.7 items in the previous year.
The total cost of prescriptions to the NHS was £8.8bn, a 0.3% fall on the previous year, while the average cost per head of the population fell to £167.22, compared to £169.13 in 2010.
HSCIC chief executive Tim Straughan said it was important to understand what was being prescribed and at what cost. The rise in prescription items could reflect “the evolving demands of our ageing society, prescribing practises and the availability of more treatments”, he added.
Dr Andrew McCulloch, chief executive of the Mental Health Foundation said: “We are not surprised by this increase. Depression is one of the most common mental illnesses, and people may be feeling particularly depressed or anxious at a time of economic recession, job insecurity and high levels of debt.
“But it also suggests that doctors may just be relying on antidepressant prescribing rather than offering patients alternative evidence-based interventions such as psychological therapies or exercise prescriptions.”
The report is at: www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/presdisp2001
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