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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

December 2023 in numbers

NHS community prescribing in England (Prescription Cost Analysis).
Data updated December 2023
102,263,320items

Dispensed in December 2023

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

£912,689,692

Net ingredient cost, December 2023

NHSBSA PCA

Most-dispensed medicines

Download full month (CSV)
Top medicines by items, December 2023
MedicineItemsNet ingredient cost
Atorvastatin 5,617,186 £11,069,316
Amlodipine 3,171,568 £3,054,470
Omeprazole 2,986,009 £12,728,771
Lansoprazole 2,941,983 £4,328,695
Levothyroxine sodium 2,858,222 £4,301,535
Ramipril 2,830,938 £3,947,754
Bisoprolol fumarate 2,447,410 £2,529,423
Colecalciferol 2,253,159 £8,180,789
Metformin hydrochloride 2,138,796 £6,843,010
Sertraline hydrochloride 1,964,628 £3,438,390
Salbutamol 1,861,721 £5,857,880
Aspirin 1,696,033 £1,440,831

Biggest risers

Largest month-on-month rise in items (medicines above 10,000 items).

Biggest risers month on month
MedicineItemsChange
Erythromycin ethylsuccinate 25,753 +30.4%
Other individually formulated bought in preparations 34,943 +27.4%
Doxycycline hyclate 444,281 +14.9%
Phenoxymethylpenicillin (Penicillin V) 274,331 +14.3%
Amoxicillin 1,137,307 +13.3%
Hypromellose 50,998 +11.8%
Formoterol/glycopyrronium/budesonide 13,089 +9.3%
Clarithromycin 191,770 +9.2%

Biggest fallers

Largest month-on-month fall in items.

Biggest fallers month on month
MedicineItemsChange
Influenza 781,423 −43.2%
Levonorgestrel 10,832 −21.0%
Fluorouracil (Sunscreen) 19,892 −16.8%
Tracheostomy & Laryngectomy Appliances 16,185 −16.5%
Semaglutide 81,895 −14.3%
Permethrin 21,256 −13.9%
Elastic Hosiery 32,506 −13.9%
Terbinafine hydrochloride 15,284 −13.7%