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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Oral rehydration salts vs Sodium chloride

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

Oral rehydration salts was dispensed 1.4× as often as Sodium chloride in April 2026 — 15,669 items versus 11,279 in England.

15,669items

Oral rehydration salts · April 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

11,279items

Sodium chloride · April 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Oral rehydration salts versus Sodium chloride: national items dispensed by month

▬ Oral rehydration salts   ·   ╌ Sodium chloride

0 11k 22k Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 Apr 2026 Sodium chloride 15,669 Jan 2021: 14k Feb 2021: 12k Mar 2021: 12k Apr 2021: 12k May 2021: 13k Jun 2021: 16k Jul 2021: 18k Aug 2021: 17k Sep 2021: 18k Oct 2021: 19k Nov 2021: 20k Dec 2021: 20k Jan 2022: 15k Feb 2022: 17k Mar 2022: 22k Apr 2022: 18k May 2022: 18k Jun 2022: 18k Jul 2022: 17k Aug 2022: 13k Sep 2022: 10k Oct 2022: 11k Nov 2022: 12k Dec 2022: 11k Jan 2023: 11k Feb 2023: 11k Mar 2023: 15k Apr 2023: 11k May 2023: 13k Jun 2023: 16k Jul 2023: 15k Aug 2023: 13k Sep 2023: 14k Oct 2023: 15k Nov 2023: 16k Dec 2023: 16k Jan 2024: 16k Feb 2024: 15k Mar 2024: 16k Apr 2024: 16k May 2024: 17k Jun 2024: 17k Jul 2024: 18k Aug 2024: 15k Sep 2024: 15k Oct 2024: 16k Nov 2024: 14k Dec 2024: 16k Jan 2025: 18k Feb 2025: 17k Mar 2025: 19k Apr 2025: 18k May 2025: 18k Jun 2025: 17k Jul 2025: 18k Aug 2025: 14k Sep 2025: 15k Oct 2025: 16k Nov 2025: 14k Dec 2025: 15k Jan 2026: 16k Feb 2026: 14k Mar 2026: 17k Apr 2026: 16k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to April 2026

Oral rehydration salts versus Sodium chloride, April 2026
Measure Oral rehydration salts Sodium chloride
Items, April 2026 15,669 11,279
Items, last 12 months 190,101 132,408
Net ingredient cost, April 2026 £222,379 £334,712

See the full profile for Oral rehydration salts or Sodium chloride.