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The number of antidepressants and other mental health medicines prescribed in England increased in 2025-26, according to the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA).

Its latest annual ‘Medicines Used in Mental Health’ report reveals 96 million antidepressant items were prescribed to about 9.1 million patients, an increase of 3.1 per cent from 2024-25.

In 2025-26, 5.9 million females and 3.2 million males were prescribed antidepressants, with females making up 65 per cent of all patients. Seventy-one per cent, or 124,434, 15 to 19-year-olds prescribed antidepressants were female.

Forty-four per cent more patients were prescribed antidepressants in the most deprived areas compared to the least deprived.

The report also revealed prescribing of drugs commonly used to treat dementia was at its highest levels since 2016-17. Five million drugs were prescribed in 2025-26 when 341,000 identified patients were prescribed the treatments compared to 326,000 in 2024-25.

In 2025-26, 14 million antipsychotic items were prescribed to 882,000 patients and the report said more female patients were prescribed the drugs than male patients “in most age bands”.

“Twice as many identified patients were prescribed antipsychotics in the most deprived areas compared to the least deprived,” the report added.

Fourteen million hypnotics and anxiolytics items were prescribed to 1.9 million patients and once again, more females were prescribed items than males.

An estimated 427,000 patients were prescribed 4.2 million central nervous system (CNS) stimulants and ADHD drug items, a 25 per cent increase on 2024-25. The 427,000 patients prescribed the treatments compared with 326,000 in 2024-25. 

CNS stimulant and ADHD drug prescribing increased for adults and children – 267,000 patients aged 18 and over were prescribed CNS stimulants and ADHD drugs, a 40 per cent increase on 190,000 in 2024-25.