ERECTILE dysfunction medication being prescribed in Warrington has increased, data shows.

According to the Royal College of GPs (RCGP), numbers may have risen due to increased awareness of and less stigma around erectile dysfunction.

Prescriptions hit 16,175 in Warrington, up from 15,520 in 2017/18.

The latest figures come from the Open Prescribing Service.

Although the number of prescriptions is in the thousands, this does not always mean that the number of patients are too - one patient can be prescribed the medication a number of times, for example.

The majority of prescriptions for erectile dysfunction that are provided by the NHS are called sildenafil - which, if bought outside the NHS, goes by the name Viagra, amongst others.

Despite rising prescriptions, the overall cost of erectile dysfunction medication is falling - in Warrington, for example, it fell from £176,000 to £52,900 between 2018 and 2022.

Professor Martin Marshall, chairman of the RCGP, said: "It may indicate lessening stigma around ED and increasing awareness of its treatments, as well as patients feeling more comfortable to come forward for treatment.

"Erectile dysfunction can be a disturbing condition for many men which can impact on patients' mental health and limit their ability to have healthy sexual relationships."