England - October to December 2024
Published 6 March 2025
Summary
Between October and December 2024:
There were 870,000 CNS stimulants and drugs for ADHD items prescribed to an estimated 248,000 identified patients.
The cost of prescribed CNS stimulants and drugs for ADHD was £41 million.
1. Things you should know
CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD are described in the BNF 68 section 4.4 and are made up of the chemical substances:
- 0404000D0 - Caffeine
- 0404000E0 - Caffeine citrate
- 0404000L0 - Dexamfetamine sulfate
- 0404000M0 - Methylphenidate hydrochloride
- 0404000R0 - Modafinil
- 0404000S0 - Atomoxetine hydrochloride
- 0404000T0 - Dexmethylphenidate hydrochloride
- 0404000U0 - Lisdexamfetamine dimesylate
- 0404000V0 - Guanfacine
- 0404000W0 - Pitolisant hydrochloride
1.1. Central nervous system (CNS) stimulants and drugs used for ADHD
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and attention deficit disorder (ADD) refer to a range of problem behaviours associated with poor attention span. These may include impulsiveness and hyperactivity, as well as inattentiveness; behaviours that often prevent children and adults from learning and socialising. ADHD is sometimes referred to as hyperkinetic disorder (HD).
You can find more information about ADHD on the NHS website.
2. Results - Central nervous system (CNS) stimulants and drugs used for ADHD
Number of prescribed items and identified patients by financial quarter - BNF 4.4: Central nervous system (CNS) stimulants and drugs used for ADHD
Chart
Figure 1: CNS stimulants and drugs for ADHD items and identified patients increased in Q3 2024/25
Table
Table 1: CNS stimulants and drugs for ADHD items and identified patients increased in Q3 2024/25
| Financial quarter | BNF section name | Total prescribed items | Identified patients |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019/2020 Q4 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 476,410 | 126,883 |
| 2020/2021 Q1 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 427,907 | 118,324 |
| 2020/2021 Q2 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 440,128 | 121,768 |
| 2020/2021 Q3 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 486,937 | 130,631 |
| 2020/2021 Q4 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 477,314 | 132,573 |
| 2021/2022 Q1 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 508,883 | 139,694 |
| 2021/2022 Q2 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 509,041 | 141,843 |
| 2021/2022 Q3 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 548,468 | 150,203 |
| 2021/2022 Q4 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 565,685 | 158,639 |
| 2022/2023 Q1 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 604,284 | 167,222 |
| 2022/2023 Q2 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 607,427 | 170,729 |
| 2022/2023 Q3 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 645,577 | 181,006 |
| 2022/2023 Q4 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 686,799 | 191,612 |
| 2023/2024 Q1 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 711,369 | 202,304 |
| 2023/2024 Q2 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 716,393 | 207,509 |
| 2023/2024 Q3 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 727,930 | 209,895 |
| 2023/2024 Q4 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 759,041 | 222,022 |
| 2024/2025 Q1 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 795,381 | 232,374 |
| 2024/2025 Q2 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 805,688 | 233,807 |
| 2024/2025 Q3 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 869,914 | 248,012 |
870,000 CNS stimulants and drugs for ADHD items prescribed in Q3 2024/25.
248,000 identified patients received prescribing for CNS stimulants and drugs for ADHD in Q3 2024/25.
Items and identified patients continue their upwards trend. Compared to the previous quarter, items increased by 8.0% and identified patients increased by 6.1%.
Cost of prescribing by financial quarter - BNF 4.4: Central nervous system (CNS) stimulants and drugs used for ADHD
Chart
Figure 2: CNS stimulants and drugs for ADHD costs increased in Q3 2024/25
Table
Table 2: CNS stimulants and drugs for ADHD costs increased in Q3 2024/25
| Financial quarter | BNF section name | Cost (GBP) |
|---|---|---|
| 2019/2020 Q4 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 19,913,958 |
| 2020/2021 Q1 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 18,312,206 |
| 2020/2021 Q2 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 18,618,798 |
| 2020/2021 Q3 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 20,427,543 |
| 2020/2021 Q4 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 20,077,278 |
| 2021/2022 Q1 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 21,298,271 |
| 2021/2022 Q2 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 20,869,950 |
| 2021/2022 Q3 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 21,962,452 |
| 2021/2022 Q4 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 22,417,466 |
| 2022/2023 Q1 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 24,178,146 |
| 2022/2023 Q2 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 24,596,812 |
| 2022/2023 Q3 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 26,464,915 |
| 2022/2023 Q4 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 28,499,556 |
| 2023/2024 Q1 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 29,944,759 |
| 2023/2024 Q2 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 31,253,070 |
| 2023/2024 Q3 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 31,390,508 |
| 2023/2024 Q4 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 33,484,748 |
| 2024/2025 Q1 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 35,611,684 |
| 2024/2025 Q2 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 37,731,076 |
| 2024/2025 Q3 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 40,721,204 |
In Q3 2024/25 the cost of prescribed CNS stimulants and drugs for ADHD items was £41 million.
Compared to the previous quarter, costs increased by 7.9% in Q3 2024/25.
Number of prescribed items and identified patients by month - BNF 4.4: Central nervous system (CNS) stimulants and drugs used for ADHD
Chart
Figure 3: CNS stimulants and drugs for ADHD items and identified patients increased in the past twelve months
Table
Table 3: CNS stimulants and drugs for ADHD items and identified patients increased in the past twelve months
| Month | BNF section name | Total prescribed items | Identified patients |
|---|---|---|---|
| 202001 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 161,005 | 89,801 |
| 202002 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 147,953 | 84,623 |
| 202003 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 167,452 | 92,670 |
| 202004 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 146,549 | 83,498 |
| 202005 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 137,515 | 82,045 |
| 202006 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 143,843 | 84,787 |
| 202007 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 148,945 | 86,298 |
| 202008 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 135,035 | 80,573 |
| 202009 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 156,148 | 91,131 |
| 202010 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 161,675 | 92,755 |
| 202011 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 159,409 | 93,225 |
| 202012 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 165,853 | 93,967 |
| 202101 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 156,839 | 92,802 |
| 202102 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 148,313 | 89,149 |
| 202103 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 172,162 | 99,515 |
| 202104 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 167,566 | 97,908 |
| 202105 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 165,678 | 98,339 |
| 202106 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 175,639 | 101,564 |
| 202107 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 172,545 | 99,576 |
| 202108 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 159,098 | 93,531 |
| 202109 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 177,398 | 103,557 |
| 202110 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 174,724 | 101,780 |
| 202111 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 184,605 | 106,468 |
| 202112 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 189,139 | 107,414 |
| 202201 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 187,135 | 109,670 |
| 202202 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 174,616 | 104,764 |
| 202203 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 203,934 | 117,304 |
| 202204 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 192,445 | 110,575 |
| 202205 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 205,214 | 118,045 |
| 202206 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 206,625 | 118,254 |
| 202207 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 201,585 | 115,491 |
| 202208 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 193,316 | 111,188 |
| 202209 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 212,526 | 122,840 |
| 202210 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 211,063 | 122,905 |
| 202211 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 220,964 | 127,674 |
| 202212 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 213,550 | 124,053 |
| 202301 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 220,881 | 127,953 |
| 202302 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 215,430 | 126,879 |
| 202303 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 250,488 | 141,959 |
| 202304 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 220,216 | 131,324 |
| 202305 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 243,218 | 142,325 |
| 202306 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 247,935 | 144,788 |
| 202307 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 242,002 | 141,916 |
| 202308 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 233,308 | 137,640 |
| 202309 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 241,083 | 142,482 |
| 202310 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 243,237 | 138,511 |
| 202311 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 245,991 | 142,198 |
| 202312 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 238,702 | 139,376 |
| 202401 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 258,730 | 152,458 |
| 202402 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 241,655 | 145,979 |
| 202403 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 258,656 | 154,499 |
| 202404 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 262,827 | 157,136 |
| 202405 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 273,520 | 161,491 |
| 202406 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 259,034 | 156,072 |
| 202407 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 273,893 | 158,940 |
| 202408 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 257,376 | 151,550 |
| 202409 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 274,419 | 162,987 |
| 202410 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 290,878 | 169,812 |
| 202411 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 286,267 | 170,239 |
| 202412 | CNS stimulants and drugs used for ADHD | 292,769 | 172,829 |
Over the 12 months to December, an average of 159,000 patients per month received prescribing for CNS stimulants and drugs for ADHD.
In the 12 months to December, CNS stimulants and drugs for ADHD items increased by 14% compared to the previous 12 months.
3. Sections in this release
- Medicines used in Mental Health summary
- BNF Section 4.3 - Antidepressant drugs
- BNF Section 4.1 - Hypnotics and anxiolytics
- BNF Section 4.2 - Drugs used in psychoses and related disorders
- BNF Section 4.11 - Drugs for dementia
- Prescribing during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Medicines used in Mental Health background