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Anti-depressant use rockets by over 300% since '80s - Burstow
November 27, 2005 9:00 AM
The number of anti-depressants prescribed has more than quadrupled in the last twenty years, according to figures uncovered by Liberal Democrat MP and Commons Health Committee Member Paul Burstow.
The figures also show a growing reliance on the drugs, with the rate of increase between 1994 and 2004 almost double that of the preceding decade.
In 1984 almost seven million antidepressant prescriptions were issued, compared to nearly twenty nine million in 2004. And whilst between 1984 and 1994 there was a 72% increase in use of the drugs, prescriptions for antidepressants rocketed by 145% between 1994 and 2004.
And the total expenditure on anti-depressants in 2004 had rocketed a staggering 16 times, when compared to 1984 costs.
Health Committee Member Paul Burstow MP commented:
"These figures show a shocking dependence on drug treatments for depression. What many patients really want and need is access to talking therapies with counsellors and psychologists.
"Therapies, such as cognitive-behavioural therapy, have proved both effective for patients and cost-effective to the tax payer but patients can face waits of over a year if they are offered in the first place. With the spiralling costs of anti-depressants, Ministers must take action to increase access to talking therapies.
"Despite early promises from the Labour Government to make mental health services one of their top three priorities for the NHS, mental health remains a Cinderella Service."
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