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The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) has published its latest quarterly report on medicines used in mental health in England, specifically those used to treat anxiety, depression, psychosis, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and dementia. Data from April to June 2024 show that 800,000 central nervous system (CNS) stimulants and ADHD drugs were prescribed to 230,000 identified patients. Both prescribing and dispensing of ADHD drugs continue to rise, with a 4.8 per cent increase in prescribed items and a 4.7 per cent rise in identified patients compared to the previous quarter. CNS stimulants and ADHD medications saw the largest increase in costs among the five drug categories, rising by 6.4 per cent to £36 million. The report reveals a modest increase in the prescribing of antidepressants, with 23 million antidepressant items prescribed to an estimated 6.9 million identified patients between April and June 2024. This represents a small increase of 1.5 per cent for prescribed items and a less than one per cent rise in identified patients compared to the previous quarter.

The recent data released by the NHS England revealed that in 2022/23 nearly 86 million antidepressant items were prescribed to around 8.6 million identified patients. According to the statistic published on 'Medicines Used in Mental Health' of the 5 British National Formulary (BNF) sections, 4 had increases in items and identified patients across 2022/23. The only BNF section to decrease since 2021/22 was hypnotics and anxiolytics. Items fell by 2% to 14 million and identified patients fell by 2 per cent to 1.9 million in 2022/23 The data also revealed that Prescribing of Central Nervous System (CNS) stimulants and drugs for ADHD increased by 32 per cent in adults over 18 and 12 per cent in children 17 and under. "2022/23 was the first time that more adult patients have been prescribed drugs from this section than child patients, in the time period covered by these statistics," said the report.

A report released by the Independent Commission has blamed Brexit supply issues for medicine shortages. NHS is forced to pay extortionate prices to fulfil the demand for vital antibiotics, anti-depressants, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) drugs. The report highlights the impact of affected medicine supply issues on community pharmacies and patients. Janet Morrison, the chief executive of Community Pharmacy England, backed the report and said that the "medicine shortages and market instability appear to be as bad as they have ever been". She also explained how the Ukraine conflict, the COVID-19 pandemic, and broader economic instability also play a major factor in the situation.