Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is NHS policy for general practitioners prescribing anti-depressants to patients whose depression relates to the effects of alcohol.

There is no single National Health Service policy for the prescribing of antidepressants to those individuals whose depression is linked to the effects of alcohol. However, clinicians are expected to prescribe such medication in accordance with best practice and any available guidance.

Under the terms of their contract with NHS England, general practitioners (GPs) are required to identify any patient, over the age of 16, who is drinking alcohol at increasing or higher risk levels by using either of two of the World Health Organization’s Alcohol Use Disorders Identification questionnaires.

Where a patient is identified as such, GPs must also ensure the patient is assessed for anxiety and depression, is offered screening for anxiety and depression and where this is diagnosed, ensure the patient is provided with any treatment or support which may be required – including referral for specialist mental health treatment.

It is a clinical decision of the individual GP to decide what treatment is most appropriate taking into account any relevant National Institute of Health and Care Excellence guidance and professional advice from the Royal Colleges.