Record numbers in England taking ADHD medication, NHS data shows

A record number of people in England are taking medication used to treat ADHD, data shows, underlining a surge in the number of diagnoses.

Almost 278,000 patients in England were prescribed central nervous system stimulants (CNS) and drugs to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) between April 2023 and March 2024, latest NHS Business Services Authority data shows.

Related: The truth about ADHD and autism: how many people have it, what causes it, and why are diagnoses soaring?

That is almost five people in every 1,000, an increase of 18% from the four in every 1,000 recorded last year, and the highest number since records began in 2016. The main increase is among women, the data shows, mainly those aged 25-40.

During the same period, almost 3m CNS stimulants and drug prescriptions were dispensed in the community in England, another record since 2016 and 15% up from last year.

Experts said this was because more people were being diagnosed with ADHD, in particular young women, owing to greater awareness of symptoms. Discussion about ADHD is widespread on social media globally, with #ADHD attracting tens of billions of hits on TikTok.

Dr Heidi Phillips, the clinical adviser on neurodiversity for the Royal College of GPs, said the rise was a result of “increased awareness” and the “increased number of health professionals issuing prescriptions”.

She also said there had been more “mental health difficulties” since Covid. Although the number of people using this type of medication has been rising year on year, that increase has become steeper since 2021.

ADHD was the second most viewed health condition on the NHS website in 2023, after Covid-19, according to NHS England, with 4.3m page views.

ADHD is described by the NHS as a condition that can make it hard to concentrate and may mean people act on impulse.

Phillips said: “When ADHD was originally reported, it was known as hyperactivity disorder of boys. Girls are more likely to have ADHD with inattentive presentation and as such were unrecognised and undiagnosed. The rise in prescriptions in women is, at least in part, likely to be a catch-up situation where these women are now coming forward.”

She added: “International data consistently shows the prevalence of ADHD is approximately 5% in children. Only approximately 2% are currently prescribed medication. A similar situation is true for adults. The increase in prescriptions is not even close to treating the number of people known or suspected to have ADHD.”

The most commonly prescribed substances are methylphenidate hydrochloride (63%) and lisdexamfetamine dimesylate (19%), although there has been a 57% rise in prescriptions involving dexamfetamine sulfate in the last year.

Some of these drugs may have been prescribed for conditions other than ADHD, as the NHS data does not capture what condition the prescription is for.

The data excludes private prescriptions and medication used in secondary care – such as referral to a specialist – or prisons. The true number of people being treated with CNS stimulants and drugs for ADHD is likely to be higher, as 11% of the items cannot be assigned to a verified NHS number.

Among women, especially those aged 25-40, records show the numbers taking CNS stimulants and drugs for ADHD tripled between March 2021 and March 2024.

Last year, doctors in England were told not to prescribe ADHD drugs to new patients because of a national shortage, as charities said that the supply problems were devastating for people living with the condition.

A national patient safety alert from the Department of Health and Social Care attributed the shortages to a combination of manufacturing issues and increased global demand.

Although the increased intake of these substances has been faster among women, men still made up two-thirds of last year’s patients.

These types of drugs have been more common among young people. However, this changed last year and has continued to diverge, with more than half of patients using this medication now over 18.

Henry Shelford, founder of the charity ADHD UK, welcomed the increase in prescriptions saying it showed more people were getting assessed, although many still faced long delays.

“Medication is not an option that works for everyone but it works for about 80% of people with ADHD,” he said. “For many people, medication can be life-changing but it is [not magic] and rather a helping hand that helps you look at your problems and put structures in place to change your life.”