A record number of patients in Somerset were prescribed medication for ADHD last year, according to figures from the NHS Business Services Authority. The data shows that 2,508 patients in the NHS Somerset Integrated Care Board were prescribed central nervous system stimulants and drugs used to treat ADHD in the year leading up to March 2023. This marks a significant rise from 1,972 patients the previous year and the highest figure since records began in 2015-16.

ADHD UK, a national charity, has welcomed the increase in prescriptions, noting that it reflects growing access to vital support for individuals with the condition. However, the charity also stressed the challenges many patients face in accessing timely treatment. Henry Shelford, chief executive of ADHD UK, commented: "We should applaud these figures as representing so many individuals who now have had an ADHD assessment, have the knowledge that they have ADHD, can use that to turn their lives around, and, in these numbers, now have the support of medication."

The number of patients in Somerset receiving ADHD medication has more than doubled since 2015-16, when 1,050 people were recorded. Nationally, 278,000 patients were prescribed ADHD medication last year, a 19% increase from the previous year, with every region in the country seeing record numbers of patients prescribed ADHD medication.

Shelford also pointed out that, despite the positive trend, many individuals still face lengthy delays in receiving a diagnosis and treatment. "Living with ADHD is hard. Individuals with ADHD are at a five times higher risk of suicide. We have no doubt that these numbers represent lives rescued and saved. We also have no doubt that the long wait lists, some over 10 years, mean lives ruined and some lives lost."

Recent research published in BJPsych Open provides further insight into the rise in ADHD diagnoses and prescriptions. The study reviewed data from 7 million individuals between 2000 and 2018 and found that while ADHD is still more commonly diagnosed in children, diagnoses among adults are increasing. For example, ADHD prescriptions for men aged 18-29 saw a nearly fifty-fold increase over the study period. However, there was no significant increase in diagnoses for children under five.

Lead researcher Dr Doug McKechnie noted that ADHD is more prevalent in deprived areas and that this disparity could be worsened by long NHS waiting lists. "Many people are accessing private care for ADHD. This may create healthcare inequalities given that ADHD is more common in deprived areas. People living in deprived areas may not be able to afford private healthcare, and may suffer with undiagnosed and untreated symptoms of ADHD for longer."

The NHS Business Services Authority figures also reveal a noticeable difference in ADHD prescription rates between genders, with an estimated 174,000 male patients and 103,000 female patients receiving medication across England. Additionally, an estimated 63,400 patients in the most deprived areas were prescribed ADHD medication—15% more than those in the least deprived regions.

A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care acknowledged the rising demand for ADHD services and the recent supply issues with certain medications. "We are continuing to work with manufacturers to ensure action is taken to resolve remaining supply problems with one specific medicine as quickly as possible and to mitigate risks to patients while these issues are being addressed," they said.

As more people seek diagnosis and treatment for ADHD, experts are calling for better resources and support for healthcare providers. Dr Peter Carpenter, Chair of the Royal College of Psychiatrists' Neurodevelopmental Special Interest Group, stated: "NHS mental health and primary care services must be provided with the necessary resources to meet this unprecedented rise in demand for support. Only with proper funding will they be able to effectively manage growing waiting lists for assessments and provide timely and high-quality post-diagnostic care to those who need it."

The government has pledged to tackle the delays, stating: "This government will work to fix this, so that no child who needs help misses out."