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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Docusate sodium vs Sodium citrate (Rectal)

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

Docusate sodium was dispensed 33.4× as often as Sodium citrate (Rectal) in April 2026 — 247,482 items versus 7,417 in England.

247,482items

Docusate sodium · April 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

7,417items

Sodium citrate (Rectal) · April 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Docusate sodium versus Sodium citrate (Rectal): national items dispensed by month

▬ Docusate sodium   ·   ╌ Sodium citrate (Rectal)

0 127k 254k Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 Apr 2026 Sodium citrate (… 247,482 Jan 2021: 152k Feb 2021: 156k Mar 2021: 181k Apr 2021: 177k May 2021: 171k Jun 2021: 184k Jul 2021: 186k Aug 2021: 181k Sep 2021: 187k Oct 2021: 181k Nov 2021: 187k Dec 2021: 197k Jan 2022: 190k Feb 2022: 179k Mar 2022: 202k Apr 2022: 189k May 2022: 198k Jun 2022: 193k Jul 2022: 193k Aug 2022: 201k Sep 2022: 198k Oct 2022: 196k Nov 2022: 202k Dec 2022: 202k Jan 2023: 203k Feb 2023: 188k Mar 2023: 214k Apr 2023: 192k May 2023: 206k Jun 2023: 211k Jul 2023: 206k Aug 2023: 214k Sep 2023: 209k Oct 2023: 213k Nov 2023: 218k Dec 2023: 216k Jan 2024: 224k Feb 2024: 212k Mar 2024: 214k Apr 2024: 223k May 2024: 227k Jun 2024: 214k Jul 2024: 234k Aug 2024: 226k Sep 2024: 221k Oct 2024: 235k Nov 2024: 224k Dec 2024: 232k Jan 2025: 237k Feb 2025: 213k Mar 2025: 225k Apr 2025: 229k May 2025: 236k Jun 2025: 232k Jul 2025: 247k Aug 2025: 229k Sep 2025: 242k Oct 2025: 248k Nov 2025: 231k Dec 2025: 254k Jan 2026: 245k Feb 2026: 226k Mar 2026: 240k Apr 2026: 247k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to April 2026

Docusate sodium versus Sodium citrate (Rectal), April 2026
Measure Docusate sodium Sodium citrate (Rectal)
Items, April 2026 247,482 7,417
Items, last 12 months 2,878,727 87,489
Net ingredient cost, April 2026 £2,277,925 £98,948

See the full profile for Docusate sodium or Sodium citrate (Rectal).