Skip to content
Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Alcohol

Skin Skin cleansers,antiseptics and desloughing agents BNF 1311010A0
Data updated May 2026 Download CSV

Alcohol was ranked 1268th of 1,792 medicines by items in May 2026, with 66 items, up 17.9% on a year earlier.

66items +17.9%

Dispensed in May 2026

737items

Rolling 12 months

£243

Net ingredient cost · May 2026

Figure 1. Alcohol: national items dispensed by month

0 62.5 125 Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 May 2026 66 Jan 2021: 116 Feb 2021: 109 Mar 2021: 117 Apr 2021: 119 May 2021: 125 Jun 2021: 102 Jul 2021: 95 Aug 2021: 110 Sep 2021: 119 Oct 2021: 96 Nov 2021: 94 Dec 2021: 104 Jan 2022: 97 Feb 2022: 73 Mar 2022: 90 Apr 2022: 87 May 2022: 88 Jun 2022: 83 Jul 2022: 87 Aug 2022: 84 Sep 2022: 85 Oct 2022: 87 Nov 2022: 88 Dec 2022: 87 Jan 2023: 66 Feb 2023: 87 Mar 2023: 92 Apr 2023: 75 May 2023: 89 Jun 2023: 102 Jul 2023: 89 Aug 2023: 91 Sep 2023: 91 Oct 2023: 91 Nov 2023: 90 Dec 2023: 87 Jan 2024: 95 Feb 2024: 94 Mar 2024: 90 Apr 2024: 87 May 2024: 92 Jun 2024: 78 Jul 2024: 83 Aug 2024: 78 Sep 2024: 85 Oct 2024: 81 Nov 2024: 70 Dec 2024: 71 Jan 2025: 76 Feb 2025: 56 Mar 2025: 68 Apr 2025: 52 May 2025: 56 Jun 2025: 39 Jul 2025: 53 Aug 2025: 68 Sep 2025: 61 Oct 2025: 69 Nov 2025: 56 Dec 2025: 65 Jan 2026: 60 Feb 2026: 53 Mar 2026: 75 Apr 2026: 72 May 2026: 66

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

Download CSV
Embed this chart

At a glance

  • Therapeutic class Skin cleansers,antiseptics and desloughing agents
  • Presentations 2 shown
  • Average cost / item £3.68
  • Year on year Up 17.9% 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 Alcohol this month.

Presentations of Alcohol, May 2026
Presentation BNF code Items Net ingredient cost
Surgical spirit 1311010A0AAABAB 65 £222
Spirigel alcohol hand gel 1311010A0BDAAAK 1 £20

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

Where Alcohol is dispensed

The regions and dispensing practices with the highest Alcohol volumes.

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

Compare Alcohol with

Other medicines in the same BNF section, by prescribing volume.