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The number of people prescribed antidepressants in England continues to increase, according to the latest official figures.

The NHS Business Services Authority said 23,500,000 items were prescribed to 6,990,000 patients between October to December 2024.

That compared with 23,200,000 items and 6,920,000 patients during the previous quarter.

Also on the increase was the number of hypnotics and anxiolytics items which rose by 1.4 per cent to 3.4 million, while patients increased by one per cent to one million.

The number of drugs used in psychoses and related disorders that were prescribed increased slightly by less than one per cent to 3.5 million, while the number of patients rose by 1.1 per cent to 664,000.

The number of items prescribed for CNS stimulants and drugs for ADHD increased by eight per cent to 870,000 and there was a 6.1 per cent increase in patients to 248,000.

Drugs for dementia items also increased by two per cent to 1.2 million and patients rose by 1.8 per cent to 273,000.