More than 21 million antidepressant drugs were prescribed over a three-month period this year, according to the latest NHS data.

Figures by the NHS Business Services Authority revealed the 21.4 million items supplied between July and September was a 0.93 per cent increase on the 21.2 million prescribed during the previous quarter and a 3.22 per cent rise on the 20.8 million items between July and September last year.

There was also a 1.68 per cent increase in dementia drugs prescribed, with around 1.06 million items in the latest quarter compared with 1.04 million items prescribed during the previous quarter. That represented a 3.27 per cent rise on the 1.02 million items prescribed between July and September 2021.

The NHSBSA said there were 2.77 million more antidepressant items prescribed “than expected based on historical trends” between March 2020 and September 2022 but that was “not a statistically significant increase” because it covered the 31 months since lockdown measures were first implemented.

There was also 5.34 million more central nervous system stimulants and drugs used for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder prescribed than expected during that period.

There were 3.44 million hypnotics and anxiolytics prescribed during the second quarter of 2022-23, which was down on the 3.52 million items prescribed at the same time last year.