HEALTH organisations say they are confident action is being taken to deal with mental health issues in the borough after figures showed the area to have the second highest amount spent on anti-depressants.

NHS prescription figures, which were circulated in national media reports over the weekend, showed the St Helens Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has the second highest amount per head spent on depression-busting drugs in the country last year.

The numbers revealed £9.21 of NHS money per head is spent on the pills in the St Helens CCG, second only to Blackpool on £10.46.

However, health bosses say that St Helens is seeing an improving picture in ensuring people with depression have the right services.

Mental health has been made a key priority for the borough with data in the 2015 Joint Strategic Needs Assessment report showing rates of self-harm among ten to 24-year olds in the borough at 688.7 per 100,000, the second highest in Merseyside and almost double the England-wide rate.

The presence of depression across adults in St Helens was also high, with 8.23 per cent affected by depression in 2013/14 and a higher percentage of the population was reported to have a long-term mental health condition than national averages.

Last September councillors approved plans for the borough's first mental health and wellbeing strategic framework.

A joint statement by St Helens Council and NHS St Helens CCG, in response to the prescription figures, said: "Thanks to additional investment and a number of new initiatives, we've already seen a drop in our prescription costs issued since 2013.

“We are working together to both prevent mental ill health and ensure those with depression get the right services."

Last October saw many residents take part in the 'Time To Talk #10,000 minutes' campaign to encourage people to discuss the issues of mental health and depression, which is to be followed up this month from Thursday (February 4) with a national campaign.

The statement added: "There has been a really successful campaign to challenge stigma and discrimination in the borough which will be followed up later this week with the national campaign 'Time to Talk' where residents are encouraged to talk about mental health.

"Alongside this there have been new investment in services including Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services commissioned by the CCG and the local authority and a new service providing access to Psychological Therapies or 'Talking Therapies'.”