Mental health prescriptions

This section presents information on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) information and Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (RPBS) on prescriptions for mental health-related medications; both subsidised prescriptions and under co-payment prescriptions (that is, prescriptions that cost less than the threshold for subsidy under the PBS). Mental health‑related medications reported in this section comprise the broad groups Antipsychotics, Anxiolytics, Hypnotics and sedatives, Antidepressants, and Psychostimulants, agents used for Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and nootropics prescribed by all medical practitioners.

Unless otherwise stated in this report, prescriptions dispensed include total prescriptions, that is, both subsidised and under co-payment arrangements.

The AIHW uses "First Nations people" to refer to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people in this report.

For further information on the PBS and RPBS and the medications covered by these schemes, refer to the data source section.

Spotlight data

How many patients received a mental health-related prescription in 2022–23?

Interactive map and chart showing the number of patients who received a mental health-related prescription and the number of prescriptions dispensed from 2014–15 to 2022–23 across state or territory, Primary Health Network and Statistical Area 4. Refer to csv file in data downloads. In 2022–23, 4,836,605 patients in total received a mental health-related prescription.

Patient characteristics

About 18% of the Australian population were dispensed a mental health-related prescription in 2022–23. Tasmania had the highest population rate (237 per 1,000 population), while New South Wales (171) and the Australian Capital Territory (177) had the lowest. The Northern Territory – with the lowest rate of people receiving prescriptions – is not mentioned above since a proportion of the Australian Government subsidy on pharmaceuticals in remote First Nations communities is funded through the Aboriginal Health Services program, where drugs are supplied directly to patients. Therefore, figures presented for jurisdictions with relatively higher First Nations populations e.g. the Northern Territory are considered to be an underestimate (Figure PBS.1).

Figure PBS.1: Rate of people receiving one or more mental health-related prescription, by states and territories in 2022–23

Rate (per 1,000 population) of patients filling mental health-related prescriptions by states and territories in 2022–23. New South Wales had 171 per 1,000 population, Vic (179), Qld (202), WA (187), SA (195), Tas (237), ACT (177), NT (104). Refer to Table PBS.2.

Source: PBS/RPBS data (sourced from Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care): Table PBS.2.

The population rate of people receiving mental health-related prescriptions in 2022–23, was lowest for the youngest age groups and increased by age. A higher rate of females (219 per 1,000 population) were dispensed mental health-related prescriptions than males (148). A greater rate of people living in Inner regional areas were dispensed mental health-related medications (227 per 1,000 population), than people living in other remoteness areas.

Figure PBS.2: Demographic rates of patients who received mental health-related medications in 2022–23

Rate per 1,000 population of people filling mental health-related prescriptions, by patient demographics for 2022–23. Rates were lowest for people aged 0–4 years (2) gradually increasing to 413 for those 85 years and over. The rate of females (219) filling prescriptions was higher than males (148). The rate varied among patient area of usual residence: Major cities (173), Inner regional (227), Outer regional (203), Remote and Very remote (121). Refer to Table PBS. 4 and PBS. 5.

Note: A proportion of the Australian Government subsidy on pharmaceuticals in remote First Nations communities is funded through the Aboriginal Health Services program, where drugs are supplied directly to patients and hence are not included in these data. Therefore, figures presented for sub-jurisdictional areas with relatively higher First Nations populations  for example, Remote and Very Remote areas are considered to be an underestimate.

Source: PBS/RPBS data (sourced from Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care): Table PBS.4 and PBS.5.

Prescriptions by type

Antidepressants (73%, or 33.4 million) was the most commonly dispensed medication in 2022–23, followed by Antipsychotics (10% or 4.3 million), Psychostimulants, agents used for ADHD and nootropics (7% or 3.3 million), Anxiolytics (6% or 2.9 million), and Hypnotics and sedatives (4% or 1.7 million).

In 2022–23, for all medication types, Tasmania (2,338 per 1,000 population) had the highest while New South Wales (1,574) and the Australian Capital Territory (1,658) had the lowest rate of mental health-related prescriptions dispensed (excluding the Northern Territory – see the Note accompanying Figure PBS.3).

There was some variability in the population rates of dispensed medications by medication type between states and territories. 

Figure PBS.3: Prescription rates by medication type and states and territories in 2022–23

Rate of mental health-related prescriptions per 1,000 population by jurisdiction and medication type in 2022–23. Prescription rates for all medications: NSW (1,574), Vic (1,721), Qld (1,914), WA (1,771), SA (1,851), Tas (2,338), ACT (1,658), NT (850). Refer to Table PBS.2.

Note: A proportion of the Australian Government subsidy on pharmaceuticals in remote First Nations communities is funded through the Aboriginal Health Services program, where drugs are supplied directly to patients and hence are not included in these data. Therefore, figures presented for jurisdictions with relatively higher First Nations populations, for example the Northern Territory are considered to be an underestimate.

Source: PBS/RPBS data (sourced from Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care): Table PBS.2.

The rate of PBS mental health-related prescriptions (1,732 per 1,000 population) was higher than the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) mental health-related services rate (103). The rate of prescriptions dispensed and proportion of patients accessing PBS mental-health prescriptions is generally higher than those accessing MBS mental-health services. This may be since, one MBS service can result in multiple PBS prescriptions dispensed due to repeat prescriptions. 

Who prescribes mental-health related prescriptions?

In 2022–23, the majority (85%) of prescriptions were written by general practitioners (GPs), except for Psychostimulants, agents used for ADHD and nootropics where 42% came from non-psychiatrist specialists, 38% came from psychiatrists, and only 20% from GPs. This is likely to be due to the restrictions on which medical practitioners can prescribe psychostimulants under the PBS. 

Figure PBS.4: Number of mental health-related prescriptions, by type of medication and prescribing medical practitioner in 2022–23

Number of mental health-related prescriptions dispensed, by ATC group of medication and prescribing medical practitioner, 2022–23. Antidepressants were prescribed by: GPs (31 million), non-psychiatrist specialists (1 million), psychiatrists (1.7). Antipsychotics (3.5, 0.1, 0.7), Anxiolytics (2.6, 0.07, 0.1), Hypnotics and sedatives (1.6, 0.06, 0.03) and Psychostimulants, agents used for ADHD and nootropics (0.6, 1.4, 1.3). Refer to Table PBS.3.

Source: PBS/RPBS data (sourced from Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care): Table PBS.3.

The highest average number of prescriptions dispensed per patient was for Antidepressants and Antipsychotics (both at 9) in 2022–23. Females had a higher rate of prescriptions dispensed (around 2,083 per 1,000 population) than males (around 1,355) in 2022–23. Males (9) and females (9) were dispensed the same number of scripts per patient.

Has the rate of mental health-related prescriptions changed over time?

The rate (per 1,000 population) of total mental health-related prescriptions being dispensed increased from 1,551 in 2018–19 to 1,732 in 2022–23. The rate of subsidised prescriptions dispensed also increased over the same period but at a slower rate. This may be due to price reductions on medications no longer under patent and competing brands listed at reduced price (Department of Health and Aged Care 2024) (Figure PBS.5). More information about this is available in Expenditure on mental health-related services.

Figure PBS.5: Number of mental health-related prescriptions per 1,000 population over time

Rate of mental health-related prescriptions per 1,000 population between 2013–14 and 2022–23. Rates of subsidised prescriptions: the lowest rate was 973 in 2018–19 and the highest was 1,042 in 2013–14. Rates for total prescriptions: the lowest rate was 1,425 in 2013–14 and the highest was 1,732 in 2022–23. Refer to Table PBS.11.

Source: PBS/RPBS data (sourced from Australian Government Department of Health): Table PBS.1.

Between 2018–19 and 2022–23, the rate (per 1,000 population) of mental health-related prescriptions dispensed decreased for:

  • Anxiolytics (140 to 110)
  • Hypnotics and sedatives (87 to 64).

Prescription rates increased over the same period of time for:

  • Antidepressants (1,099 to 1,269)
  • Psychostimulants, agents used for ADHD and nootropics (59 to 125).

The increase in Psychostimulants, agents used for ADHD and nootropics over the past 5 years may be due to an increased focus on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) through the media. The increase in awareness regarding ADHD and associated symptoms may have resulted in an increased demand for treatment including prescription of psychostimulants. It is anticipated that rates of prescribing have continued to increase since 2023 (Parliament of Australia 2023).

Regional reporting 

Information on mental health-related prescriptions can also be reported at a sub-jurisdictional level, within state and territory boundaries. Refer also to the Spotlight data.

This section was last updated in April 2024.