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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Hydrocortisone vs Prednisolone

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

Prednisolone was dispensed 9.9× as often as Hydrocortisone in May 2026 — 461,218 items versus 46,354 in England.

46,354items

Hydrocortisone · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

461,218items

Prednisolone · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Hydrocortisone versus Prednisolone: national items dispensed by month

▬ Hydrocortisone   ·   ╌ Prednisolone

0 393k 786k Jan 2021 Dec 2021 Oct 2022 Aug 2023 Jun 2024 Apr 2025 May 2026 Prednisolone 46,354 Jan 2021: 37k Feb 2021: 34k Mar 2021: 38k Apr 2021: 37k May 2021: 35k Jun 2021: 38k Aug 2021: 37k Sep 2021: 39k Oct 2021: 37k Nov 2021: 39k Dec 2021: 41k Jan 2022: 39k Feb 2022: 36k Mar 2022: 41k Apr 2022: 38k May 2022: 40k Jun 2022: 39k Jul 2022: 40k Aug 2022: 41k Sep 2022: 41k Oct 2022: 41k Nov 2022: 41k Dec 2022: 42k Jan 2023: 42k Feb 2023: 38k Mar 2023: 43k Apr 2023: 39k May 2023: 42k Jun 2023: 43k Jul 2023: 42k Aug 2023: 43k Sep 2023: 42k Oct 2023: 43k Nov 2023: 43k Dec 2023: 44k Jan 2024: 45k Feb 2024: 42k Mar 2024: 43k Apr 2024: 45k May 2024: 46k Jun 2024: 43k Jul 2024: 47k Aug 2024: 45k Sep 2024: 44k Oct 2024: 47k Nov 2024: 45k Dec 2024: 47k Jan 2025: 47k Feb 2025: 42k Mar 2025: 44k Apr 2025: 45k May 2025: 46k Jun 2025: 45k Jul 2025: 48k Aug 2025: 44k Sep 2025: 47k Oct 2025: 48k Nov 2025: 45k Dec 2025: 50k Jan 2026: 47k Feb 2026: 44k Mar 2026: 48k Apr 2026: 47k May 2026: 46k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

Hydrocortisone versus Prednisolone, May 2026
Measure Hydrocortisone Prednisolone
Items, May 2026 46,354 461,218
Items, last 12 months 560,262 6,074,582
Net ingredient cost, May 2026 £1,190,537 £1,189,633

See the full profile for Hydrocortisone or Prednisolone.