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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Sodium chloride vs Water for injection

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

Water for injection was dispensed 6.9× as often as Sodium chloride in May 2026 — 18,732 items versus 2,708 in England.

2,708items

Sodium chloride · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

18,732items

Water for injection · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Sodium chloride versus Water for injection: national items dispensed by month

▬ Sodium chloride   ·   ╌ Water for injection

0 11k 22k Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 May 2026 Water for inject… 2,708 Jan 2021: 4k Feb 2021: 3k Mar 2021: 3k Apr 2021: 3k May 2021: 3k Jun 2021: 3k Jul 2021: 3k Aug 2021: 3k Sep 2021: 3k Oct 2021: 3k Nov 2021: 3k Dec 2021: 3k Jan 2022: 3k Feb 2022: 3k Mar 2022: 3k Apr 2022: 3k May 2022: 3k Jun 2022: 3k Jul 2022: 3k Aug 2022: 3k Sep 2022: 3k Oct 2022: 3k Nov 2022: 3k Dec 2022: 3k Jan 2023: 3k Feb 2023: 2k Mar 2023: 3k Apr 2023: 2k May 2023: 2k Jun 2023: 3k Jul 2023: 3k Aug 2023: 3k Sep 2023: 3k Oct 2023: 3k Nov 2023: 3k Dec 2023: 3k Jan 2024: 3k Feb 2024: 3k Mar 2024: 3k Apr 2024: 3k May 2024: 3k Jun 2024: 3k Jul 2024: 3k Aug 2024: 3k Sep 2024: 3k Oct 2024: 3k Nov 2024: 3k Dec 2024: 3k Jan 2025: 3k Feb 2025: 3k Mar 2025: 3k Apr 2025: 3k May 2025: 3k Jun 2025: 3k Jul 2025: 3k Aug 2025: 3k Sep 2025: 3k Oct 2025: 3k Nov 2025: 3k Jan 2026: 3k Feb 2026: 3k Mar 2026: 3k Apr 2026: 3k May 2026: 3k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

Sodium chloride versus Water for injection, May 2026
Measure Sodium chloride Water for injection
Items, May 2026 2,708 18,732
Items, last 12 months 34,274 231,008
Net ingredient cost, May 2026 £55,913 £157,351

See the full profile for Sodium chloride or Water for injection.