Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what support is available for people discontinuing anti-depressants.

In 2022, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published the guideline Medicines associated with dependence or withdrawal symptoms: safe prescribing and withdrawal management for adults, which makes recommendations on discontinuing antidepressant medication. This is also addressed in Depression in adults: treatment and management. Further information on the guidelines on medicines associated with dependence or withdrawal symptoms and depression in adults is available, respectively, at the following two links:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng215

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng222/chapter/Recommendations

In 2023, NHS England published Optimising personalised care for adults prescribed medicines associated with dependence or withdrawal symptoms: Framework for action for integrated care boards (ICBs) and primary care. The framework includes five actions, resources, and case studies to help develop plans that can support people who are taking medicines associated with dependence and withdrawal symptoms. The framework is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/optimising-personalised-care-for-adults-prescribed-medicines-associated-with-dependence-or-withdrawal-symptoms/

NHS England is also encouraging ICBs to address inappropriate antidepressant prescribing and to consider commissioning services for patients wishing to reduce or stop prescribed medicines that can cause dependence and withdrawal. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/national-medicines-optimisation-opportunities-2023-24/

The Government recognises that too many people with mental health issues are not getting the support or care they need, and we know that waits for mental health services are far too long. This is why we are committed to ensuring we give mental health the same attention and focus as physical health, so that people can be confident in accessing high quality mental health support when they need it.