Thousands of patients prescribed key ADHD medication in Bristol, north Somerset and South Gloucestershire – amid warnings of drug shortage

Thousands of patients were prescribed ADHD medications in Bristol, north Somerset and South Gloucestershire, new figures show – amid warnings of shortages of these drugs.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a condition which impacts many people across the UK. Adults and children with the condition may have difficulty concentrating, act impulsively and appear restless.

In September, the NHS issued a national patient safety alert about a shortage of certain drugs used to treat the condition.

These include some formats of the most prescribed drug for ADHD – methylphenidate hydrochloride – alongside all lisdexamfetamine and guanfacine medication. The NHS has previous said there is also a shortage of some types of atomoxetine.

Figures from the NHS' Open Prescribing service show 3,944 patients were prescribed one of these drugs in some form in the former NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire integrated care board in the three months to June.

Henry Shelford, CEO of the ADHD UK charity, said medication is "life-changing" for those with the condition – and taking it away can have disastrous consequences for individuals with ADHD.

He said: "The NHS should have realised that this was happening and had a plan in place. Instead, people are only finding out when their pharmacy can't supply. They've been left stranded with no support.

"Medication is carefully given with dosage and type worked out over months. The idea it can be chopped and changed is wrong."

"This is devastating for individuals across the country and will be life-changing for some. People with ADHD are being let down by the NHS – this is just the latest way in which we are being failed," he added.

Across all forms of ADHD medication, 4,212 patients were given a prescription in Bristol, north Somerset and South Gloucestershire in the three months to June.

This was a rise from 3,308 patients during the same period last year, and a jump of 122 from 1,895 in the spring of 2020.

These figures cover how many patients with an NHS number picked up a prescription during that time frame – accounting for 90% of prescriptions received in the area. In 2020 this covered 79% of prescriptions.

The ADHD Foundation said just over 200,000 (10%) of an estimated 2 million UK citizens with the condition are receiving medication.

Tony Lloyd, CEO of the charity, said ADHD has been significantly underdiagnosed – particularly among women. He attributes the increase in prescribing to "rebalancing" this underdiagnosis.

However, he added: "Medication should not be used in isolation and should form part of a range of strategies and lifestyle choices to manage ADHD successfully."

The shortages are expected to be resolved between October and December.

A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said: "We are aware of supply issues affecting medicines used for the management of ADHD due to increased global demand, and we have issued communications to the NHS to advise healthcare professionals on management of patients during this time.

"We continue to work closely with the respective manufacturers to resolve the issues as soon as possible and to ensure patients have continuous access to ADHD medicines in the UK."