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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Codeine phosphate

Central Nervous System Analgesics BNF 0407020C0
Data updated May 2026 Download CSV

Codeine phosphate was ranked 47th of 1,792 medicines by items in May 2026, with 476,175 items, little changed on a year earlier.

476,175items +0.4%

Dispensed in May 2026

5,689,284items

Rolling 12 months

£1,285,900

Net ingredient cost · May 2026

Figure 1. Codeine phosphate: national items dispensed by month

0 250k 500k Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 May 2026 476,175 Jan 2021: 415k Feb 2021: 389k Mar 2021: 442k Apr 2021: 425k May 2021: 407k Jun 2021: 435k Jul 2021: 431k Aug 2021: 414k Sep 2021: 436k Oct 2021: 417k Nov 2021: 431k Dec 2021: 448k Jan 2022: 426k Feb 2022: 401k Mar 2022: 458k Apr 2022: 422k May 2022: 440k Jun 2022: 429k Jul 2022: 422k Aug 2022: 436k Sep 2022: 438k Oct 2022: 434k Nov 2022: 443k Dec 2022: 438k Jan 2023: 444k Feb 2023: 409k Mar 2023: 467k Apr 2023: 417k May 2023: 446k Jun 2023: 457k Jul 2023: 441k Aug 2023: 453k Sep 2023: 443k Oct 2023: 450k Nov 2023: 453k Dec 2023: 446k Jan 2024: 465k Feb 2024: 437k Mar 2024: 444k Apr 2024: 460k May 2024: 471k Jun 2024: 437k Jul 2024: 475k Aug 2024: 459k Sep 2024: 451k Oct 2024: 479k Nov 2024: 453k Dec 2024: 462k Jan 2025: 480k Feb 2025: 429k Mar 2025: 458k Apr 2025: 462k May 2025: 474k Jun 2025: 459k Jul 2025: 487k Aug 2025: 449k Sep 2025: 476k Oct 2025: 490k Nov 2025: 446k Dec 2025: 490k Jan 2026: 480k Feb 2026: 448k Mar 2026: 500k Apr 2026: 490k May 2026: 476k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

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At a glance

  • Therapeutic class Analgesics
  • Presentations 5 shown
  • Average cost / item £2.70
  • Year on year Little changed 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 Codeine phosphate this month.

Presentations of Codeine phosphate, May 2026
Presentation BNF code Items Net ingredient cost
Codeine 30mg tablets 0407020C0AAAEAE 293,199 £871,744
Codeine 15mg tablets 0407020C0AAADAD 180,154 £400,986
Codeine 60mg tablets 0407020C0AAAFAF 2,818 £12,306
Codeine 25mg/5ml oral solution 0407020C0AAABAB 3 £31
Codeine 30mg/5ml oral solution 0407020C0AAAPAP 1 £833

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

Where Codeine phosphate is dispensed

The regions and dispensing practices with the highest Codeine phosphate volumes.

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

Compare Codeine phosphate with

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