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FOI release

FOI – 2024-000129 Adult ADHD Medicines (HTML)

Published on 12 April 2024

Date received – 19 March 2024 | Date responded – 12 April 2024

Request

As below, please find attached FOI request, with all details included.

I have emailed FOI Lothians separately for their aspect, you may wish to contact them to avoid any duplication on your part.

FOI Questions

  1. Please provide the following data relating to both "NHS Lothian" and NHS Scotland as a whole.

The wait times from referral to appointment for "Adult ADHD Assessment" for the last 5 years.

  1. Please provide the following data relating to both NHS Lothian and NHS Scotland as a whole

The current, and historic (5 years expressed yearly) availability of ADHD medication as licensed, and where there is no availability, the expected restocking period. To include:

  • methylphenidate
  • lisdexamfetamine
  • dexamfetamine
  • atomoxetine
  • guanfacine

(For clarity, I am specifically looking for information about past and current shortages of ADHD medication, where the supply is insufficient to meet demand.

Response

I refer to your freedom of information request that we received on 19 March 2024. We have now completed the search of our records and can provide you with the following information:

1. Please provide the following data relating to both "NHS Lothian" and NHS Scotland as a whole.

The wait times from referral to appointment for "Adult ADHD Assessment" for the last 5 years.

Under section 17 of the Freedom of Information Scotland Act, 2002 (FOISA), an organisation does not have to provide that information if it does not hold that information. NHS National Services Scotland (NSS) does not hold the requested information. National Services Division (NSD) do not complete referrals for ADHD, this would come directly from the GP to the Health Boards (HBs). Children’s referrals would go through schools to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS). You may wish to contact the individual HBs who could provide you with the requested information, addresses are as follows:

2. Please provide the following data relating to both NHS Lothian and NHS Scotland as a whole

The current, and historic (5 years expressed yearly) availability of ADHD medication as licensed, and where there is no availability, the expected restocking period. To include:

  • Methylphenidate
  • Lisdexamfetamine
  • Dexamfetamine
  • Atomoxetine
  • Guanfacine

The only product on an active National Framework within Scotland is Methylphenidate. Supplied by two manufacturers: Martindale and Takeda UK Ltd.

The scope of the Framework is supply to NHS Scotland secondary care hospitals only. Currently there is supply of the Martindale product and for Takeda UK Ltd, resupply dates are listed below.

The regulatory powers on the supply of medicines are reserved for the UK Government. The Department of Health (DHSC) Medicines Supply Team co-ordinate medicines shortage at UK level.

Medicines Shortage Alert Notices (MSAN’s) issued by the Scottish Government are in the public domain and can be found online at: https://www.publications.scot.nhs.uk/. There have been some alerts on the availability of ADHD medicines.

In Sept 2023, a NatPSA CAS-ViewAlert (mhra.gov.uk) was issued covering range of ADHD drugs due to supply disruption of these products caused by a combination of manufacturing issues and an increased global demand. The NatPSA advised that supply disruptions were expected to resolve at various dates between October and December 2023.

Regarding current availability, a number of these lines continue to have active Medicine Supply Notification (MSN) via DHSC. The information detailed below is directly from DHSC regarding specific products and known issues/resupply dates of these medicines. Resupply dates are only indicative and subject to change. The assumption would be that all other brands/preparations are currently available as of today.

Methylphenidate

Medicine and Anticipated re-supply date (based on DHSC Supply data 28.03.2024)

  • Xenidate XL 18mg tablets (Viatris UK Healthcare Ltd) 12 April 2024
  • Xenidate XL 27mg tablets (Viatris UK Healthcare Ltd) 12 April 2024
  • Xaggitin XL 36mg tablets (Ethypharm UK Ltd) 26 April 2024
  • Delmosart 18mg modified-release tablets (Accord-UK Ltd) 30 April 2024
  • Delmosart 36mg modified-release tablets (Accord-UK Ltd) 15 May 2024
  • Equasym XL 10mg capsules (Takeda UK Ltd) 14 June 2024
  • Equasym XL 20mg capsules (Takeda UK Ltd) 7 June 2024

Lisdexamfetamine

Medicine and Anticipated re-supply date (based on DHSC Supply data 28.03.2024)

  • Elvanse 40mg capsules (Takeda UK Ltd) 5 April 2024

Dexamfetamine

  • No known current issues

Atomoxetine

Medicine and Anticipated re-supply date (based on DHSC Supply data 28.03.2024)

  • Strattera 4mg/1ml oral solution (Eli Lilly and Company Ltd)14 June 2024

Guanfacine

Medicine and Anticipated re-supply date (based on DHSC Supply data 28.03.2024)

  • Intuniv 2mg modified-release tablets (Takeda UK Ltd) 6 May 2024
  • Intuniv 3mg modified-release tablets (Takeda UK Ltd) 6 May 2024

I trust you will find the information of assistance and if you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact us.

If you are unhappy with any aspect of how we have dealt with your request, you can make representations to us asking us to review the handling of your request.

If you require any further information, please contact Head of Information and Cyber Security, Digital and Security within 40 working days of the date of this correspondence.

Contact

Email: nss.foi@nhs.scot

Address

NHS National Services Scotland
Headquarters
Gyle Square
1 South Gyle Crescent
Edinburgh
EH12 9EB

If after a review you are still unhappy, you also have the right to apply to the Scottish Information Commissioner, who can be contacted at Kinburn Castle, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9DS, or via their application form.

National Services Scotland (NSS) is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. You can view all FOI responses within our FOI Publications repository.

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