THE number of ADHD pills handed out by the NHS has soared by up to 1,000 per cent.
Data shows taxpayers’ spending on them has almost tripled to £160million a year since 2019.
It comes amid fears children have an incentive to be diagnosed as they get extra exam time.
have doubled since 2021 while one in ten children say they have .
In the hotspot of Harrow, , prescriptions for drugs such as £44-a-pack went from 8,760 to 99,683 in six years.
That is an increase of 1,037 per cent.
GP Dr Renee Hoenderkamp said: “We need to look again at how we diagnose ADHD.”
An spokesman said more people were coming forward for diagnosis.
He added that the recommendations of the independent ADHD Taskforce were being followed.
Last month, an interim report commissioned by Health Secretary found there are “institutional incentives” to seek a diagnosis.
The report said that “certain platforms, including TikTok, convey a high proportion of factually inaccurate messages around ADHD”.
So-called “sickfluencers”, who encourage people to claim benefits online, are also said to be behind part of the surge.
MPs last night said the NHS needed to ensure everyone being given ADHD meds genuinely has the condition.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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