Purvis questions NHS Borders about anti-depressant usage

2.08.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 23rd Jun 2009

Recent parliamentary questions have revealed that NHS Borders prescriptions for anti-depressants rose by nearly 11% from 2006 to 2008. Jeremy Purvis MSP: Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale MSP, Jeremy Purvis has called for clarification regarding these troubling numbers and a more robust system for treating those with mental health issues.

Commenting, Purvis said:

“Despite the Government’s 2007 promise to reduce Scotland’s use of anti-depressants, the rate at which NHS Borders prescribes anti-depressants continued to rise in 2008 by 3.6%. While the percentage of yearly increase is falling, year after year there are still more people receiving anti-depressants than the year before. It is clear that the Government target to reduce anti-depressants by 10% at the end of 2009 will not be met.

“It is also unclear as to whether or not this continued increase is due to more patients being diagnosed with depression, or a transfer of services from other mental health remedies such as therapy. It must be ensured that each patient is evaluated individually with a variety of treatment options available so that everyone receives the service that is best tailored to their specific need.

“I will be raising this issue with the Chief Executive at a meeting on Friday.”

Notes:

Figures are the result of Parliamentary Questions tabled by Ross Finnie MSP. The results for the Borders are as follows:

Prescriptions Dispensed in 2006, 2007 and 2008 (respectively): 83,579; 89,459; 92,714

Percent increase from 2006-2008: 11%

Percent increase from 2006-2007: 7%

Percent increase from 2007-2008: 3.6%