Skip to content
Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Absorbent Cottons

Dressings Absorbent Cottons BNF 2001
Data updated May 2026 Download CSV

Absorbent Cottons was ranked 1327th of 1,792 medicines by items in May 2026, with 50 items, down 20.6% on a year earlier.

50items -20.6%

Dispensed in May 2026

617items

Rolling 12 months

£618

Net ingredient cost · May 2026

Figure 1. Absorbent Cottons: national items dispensed by month

0 77.5 155 Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 May 2026 50 Jan 2021: 155 Feb 2021: 140 Mar 2021: 146 Apr 2021: 139 May 2021: 120 Jun 2021: 135 Jul 2021: 123 Aug 2021: 131 Sep 2021: 129 Oct 2021: 149 Nov 2021: 112 Dec 2021: 140 Jan 2022: 125 Feb 2022: 112 Mar 2022: 127 Apr 2022: 107 May 2022: 127 Jun 2022: 109 Jul 2022: 105 Aug 2022: 96 Sep 2022: 111 Oct 2022: 108 Nov 2022: 114 Dec 2022: 103 Jan 2023: 106 Feb 2023: 88 Mar 2023: 98 Apr 2023: 94 May 2023: 100 Jun 2023: 109 Jul 2023: 102 Aug 2023: 106 Sep 2023: 78 Oct 2023: 79 Nov 2023: 72 Dec 2023: 95 Jan 2024: 74 Feb 2024: 70 Mar 2024: 65 Apr 2024: 67 May 2024: 55 Jun 2024: 69 Jul 2024: 61 Aug 2024: 57 Sep 2024: 72 Oct 2024: 55 Nov 2024: 73 Dec 2024: 55 Jan 2025: 66 Feb 2025: 51 Mar 2025: 54 Apr 2025: 65 May 2025: 63 Jun 2025: 61 Jul 2025: 55 Aug 2025: 49 Sep 2025: 64 Oct 2025: 52 Nov 2025: 50 Dec 2025: 53 Jan 2026: 42 Feb 2026: 41 Mar 2026: 56 Apr 2026: 44 May 2026: 50

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

Download CSV
Embed this chart

At a glance

  • Therapeutic class Absorbent Cottons
  • Presentations 2 shown
  • Average cost / item £12.36
  • Year on year Down 20.6% on a year earlier
What this is
Net ingredient cost is the list price before discounts and dispensing fees, not what the NHS finally pays.

Top presentations, May 2026

The individual products dispensed under Absorbent Cottons this month.

Presentations of Absorbent Cottons, May 2026
Presentation BNF code Items Net ingredient cost
Absorbent cotton BP 1988 20010000101 45 £586
Absorbent cotton hospital quality 20010000201 5 £32

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis · to May 2026 OGL v3.0

Where Absorbent Cottons is dispensed

The regions and dispensing practices with the highest Absorbent Cottons volumes.

Regional volumes from NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis; practice volumes from NHS dispensing data.