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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Betamethasone esters vs Hydrocortisone

National NHS prescribing compared (Prescription Cost Analysis)
Data updated May 2026

Hydrocortisone was dispensed 7.7× as often as Betamethasone esters in May 2026 — 272,329 items versus 35,205 in England.

35,205items

Betamethasone esters · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

272,329items

Hydrocortisone · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Betamethasone esters versus Hydrocortisone: national items dispensed by month

▬ Betamethasone esters   ·   ╌ Hydrocortisone

0 179k 358k Jan 2021 Dec 2021 Oct 2022 Aug 2023 Jun 2024 Apr 2025 May 2026 Hydrocortisone 35,205 Jan 2021: 30k Feb 2021: 28k Mar 2021: 33k Apr 2021: 32k May 2021: 28k Jun 2021: 29k Jul 2021: 32k Aug 2021: 29k Oct 2021: 29k Nov 2021: 31k Dec 2021: 30k Jan 2022: 31k Feb 2022: 30k Mar 2022: 34k Apr 2022: 30k May 2022: 33k Jun 2022: 32k Jul 2022: 31k Aug 2022: 32k Sep 2022: 31k Oct 2022: 31k Nov 2022: 32k Dec 2022: 30k Jan 2023: 32k Feb 2023: 30k Mar 2023: 34k Apr 2023: 31k May 2023: 34k Jun 2023: 35k Jul 2023: 34k Aug 2023: 34k Sep 2023: 33k Oct 2023: 34k Nov 2023: 34k Dec 2023: 32k Jan 2024: 35k Feb 2024: 33k Mar 2024: 33k Apr 2024: 35k May 2024: 36k Jun 2024: 34k Jul 2024: 37k Aug 2024: 36k Sep 2024: 34k Oct 2024: 35k Nov 2024: 36k Dec 2024: 35k Jan 2025: 39k Feb 2025: 35k Mar 2025: 38k Apr 2025: 37k May 2025: 39k Jun 2025: 38k Jul 2025: 40k Aug 2025: 36k Sep 2025: 38k Oct 2025: 39k Nov 2025: 34k Dec 2025: 37k Jan 2026: 38k Feb 2026: 35k Mar 2026: 37k Apr 2026: 36k May 2026: 35k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

Betamethasone esters versus Hydrocortisone, May 2026
Measure Betamethasone esters Hydrocortisone
Items, May 2026 35,205 272,329
Items, last 12 months 443,191 3,345,890
Net ingredient cost, May 2026 £301,684 £1,646,355

See the full profile for Betamethasone esters or Hydrocortisone.