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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Diclofenac sodium

Skin Sunscreens and camouflagers BNF 1308010W0
Data updated May 2026 Download CSV

Diclofenac sodium was ranked 463rd of 1,796 medicines by items in May 2026, with 12,031 items, down 12.7% on a year earlier.

12,031items -12.7%

Dispensed in May 2026

124,291items

Rolling 12 months

£542,632

Net ingredient cost · May 2026

Figure 1. Diclofenac sodium: national items dispensed by month

0 8k 16k Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 Jul 2026 8,468 Jan 2021: 6k Feb 2021: 7k Mar 2021: 9k Apr 2021: 9k May 2021: 9k Jun 2021: 10k Jul 2021: 10k Aug 2021: 10k Sep 2021: 10k Oct 2021: 10k Nov 2021: 10k Dec 2021: 8k Jan 2022: 8k Feb 2022: 9k Mar 2022: 10k Apr 2022: 9k May 2022: 11k Jun 2022: 11k Jul 2022: 11k Aug 2022: 11k Sep 2022: 11k Oct 2022: 11k Nov 2022: 10k Dec 2022: 8k Jan 2023: 9k Feb 2023: 9k Mar 2023: 10k Apr 2023: 9k May 2023: 11k Jun 2023: 13k Jul 2023: 12k Aug 2023: 14k Sep 2023: 13k Oct 2023: 12k Nov 2023: 12k Dec 2023: 9k Jan 2024: 10k Feb 2024: 10k Mar 2024: 10k Apr 2024: 11k May 2024: 14k Jun 2024: 14k Jul 2024: 14k Aug 2024: 13k Sep 2024: 14k Oct 2024: 13k Nov 2024: 12k Dec 2024: 10k Jan 2025: 11k Feb 2025: 11k Mar 2025: 13k Apr 2025: 13k May 2025: 14k Jun 2025: 16k Jul 2025: 16k Aug 2025: 14k Sep 2025: 14k Oct 2025: 14k Nov 2025: 12k Dec 2025: 11k Jan 2026: 11k Feb 2026: 11k Mar 2026: 13k Apr 2026: 12k May 2026: 12k Jun 2026: 13k Jul 2026: 8k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

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At a glance

  • Therapeutic class Sunscreens and camouflagers
  • Presentations 2 shown
  • Average cost / item £45.10
  • Year on year Down 12.7% 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 Diclofenac sodium this month.

Presentations of Diclofenac sodium, May 2026
Presentation BNF code Items Net ingredient cost
Diclofenac sodium 3% gel 1308010W0AAAAAA 6,801 £314,211
Solaraze 3% gel 1308010W0BBAAAA 5,230 £228,421

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

Where Diclofenac sodium is dispensed

The regions and dispensing practices with the highest Diclofenac sodium volumes.

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

Compare Diclofenac sodium with

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

Download this data

The monthly series for Diclofenac sodium is in this page's CSV. For the ranked national series across every medicine, with the method and caveats documented, see the most-prescribed medicines dataset in our open data catalogue.