THE number of times GPs across the Bradford district have prescribed antidepressants has soared by almost 100,000 in the past three years, according to NHS data.

The drugs were prescribed a total of 735,671 times across the Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven, Bradford City and Bradford Districts Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG) between April 2017 to March this year. This equates to a 15 per cent rise from 637,736. The England average was 18 per cent.

In the Bradford City CCG, medical services prescribed antidepressants 108,367 times, 20,128 more than three years earlier.

While in the Bradford Districts CCG, the figure rose from 384,474 to 436,793 and to 190,511 from 165,023 in the Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven CCG. These figures account for the total number of items prescribed by GPs in the NHS, so several of them could have been issued for the same patient.

Brendan Kennedy, clinical lead for mental health for Bradford district and Craven CCGs, said: “The three CCGs prescribe fewer antidepressants compared with other areas in the country and any increases are in line with national trends.Over the course of the last ten years we have seen more patients presenting at General Practice following the sustained recession that has affected employment and placed greater strain on family life. There has also been a much greater awareness of mental health issues.

“Antidepressants are just one small part of the way we treat mental health issue across the three CCGs. In the past few years we have increased funding for physiological therapies, social prescribing and exercise classes as we try to improve our patient’s wellbeing.

“It is also important to note that prescriptions classed as antidepressants can also be used to deal with other medical conditions such as chronic pain.”

GPs have called on the Government to increase the funding for psychotherapist services to rely less on these drugs as more people seek help for mental health problems.

A study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry in 2015 revealed the UK had the fourth-most medicalised population in Europe regarding antidepressants intake.

An NHS England spokesperson said: “The NHS is significantly improving mental health treatment as part of an ambitious long-term plan, to increase access to treatments like Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and other talking therapies, which means clinicians and patients working together to identify the most appropriate care plan.”