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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Phenoxymethylpenicillin (Penicillin V) vs Co-amoxiclav (Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid)

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

Phenoxymethylpenicillin (Penicillin V) was dispensed 2.3× as often as Co-amoxiclav (Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid) in May 2026 — 245,961 items versus 106,002 in England.

245,961items

Phenoxymethylpenicillin (Penicillin V) · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

106,002items

Co-amoxiclav (Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid) · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Phenoxymethylpenicillin (Penicillin V) versus Co-amoxiclav (Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid): national items dispensed by month

▬ Phenoxymethylpenicillin (Penicillin V)   ·   ╌ Co-amoxiclav (Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid)

0 241k 483k Jan 2021 Dec 2021 Oct 2022 Aug 2023 Jun 2024 Apr 2025 May 2026 Co-amoxiclav (Am… 245,961 Jan 2021: 115k Feb 2021: 103k Mar 2021: 125k Apr 2021: 118k May 2021: 138k Jun 2021: 147k Jul 2021: 151k Aug 2021: 138k Oct 2021: 195k Nov 2021: 208k Dec 2021: 221k Jan 2022: 192k Feb 2022: 190k Mar 2022: 234k Apr 2022: 206k May 2022: 227k Jun 2022: 231k Jul 2022: 245k Aug 2022: 192k Sep 2022: 189k Oct 2022: 230k Nov 2022: 277k Dec 2022: 483k Jan 2023: 328k Feb 2023: 303k Mar 2023: 328k Apr 2023: 235k May 2023: 239k Jun 2023: 214k Jul 2023: 214k Aug 2023: 179k Sep 2023: 173k Oct 2023: 212k Nov 2023: 240k Dec 2023: 274k Jan 2024: 286k Feb 2024: 305k Mar 2024: 328k Apr 2024: 284k May 2024: 276k Jun 2024: 241k Jul 2024: 247k Aug 2024: 178k Sep 2024: 191k Oct 2024: 237k Nov 2024: 249k Dec 2024: 299k Jan 2025: 286k Feb 2025: 277k Mar 2025: 292k Apr 2025: 249k May 2025: 232k Jun 2025: 215k Jul 2025: 213k Aug 2025: 174k Sep 2025: 206k Oct 2025: 246k Nov 2025: 257k Dec 2025: 309k Jan 2026: 282k Feb 2026: 282k Mar 2026: 316k Apr 2026: 261k May 2026: 246k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

Phenoxymethylpenicillin (Penicillin V) versus Co-amoxiclav (Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid), May 2026
Measure Phenoxymethylpenicillin (Penicillin V) Co-amoxiclav (Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid)
Items, May 2026 245,961 106,002
Items, last 12 months 3,008,871 1,325,668
Net ingredient cost, May 2026 £625,813 £268,239

See the full profile for Phenoxymethylpenicillin (Penicillin V) or Co-amoxiclav (Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid).