Prescribing indicators - Antidepressants (P_1_07)

Summary 

This indicator measures the number of antidepressants that are prescribed on a quarterly basis by all practices in England, including GP practices. Numbers are given for the total number of items prescribed and dispensed, the total net ingredient cost (NIC) and the average daily quantity (ADQ) across areas of England. 

Technical description 

The data covers NHS prescriptions of antidepressants (see Appendix I) written in England and dispensed in the community in the UK. Prescriptions written in England but dispensed outside England are included. The data includes prescriptions written by GPs and other non-medical prescribers (such as nurses and pharmacists) who are attached to GP practices.

To allocate the prescribed items to each LSOA area, the Patients registered at a GP practice at Lower Super Output Area (LSOA) level was used. Patients Registered at a GP Practice dataset is a quarterly publication by NHS Digital and provides the count of patients by gender.