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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Hydrocortisone

Ear, Nose and Oropharynx Drugs acting on the ear BNF 1201010Q0
Data updated May 2026 Download CSV

Hydrocortisone was ranked 637th of 1,796 medicines by items in May 2026, with 4,026 items, up 648.3% on a year earlier.

4,026items +648.3%

Dispensed in May 2026

31,592items

Rolling 12 months

£31,037

Net ingredient cost · May 2026

Figure 1. Hydrocortisone: national items dispensed by month

0 3k 5k Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 Jul 2026 2,214 Jan 2021: 466 Feb 2021: 431 Mar 2021: 894 Apr 2021: 786 May 2021: 745 Jun 2021: 915 Jul 2021: 1k Aug 2021: 1k Sep 2021: 1k Oct 2021: 1k Nov 2021: 1k Dec 2021: 1k Jan 2022: 1k Feb 2022: 1k Mar 2022: 965 Apr 2022: 840 May 2022: 923 Jun 2022: 986 Jul 2022: 1k Aug 2022: 1k Sep 2022: 1k Oct 2022: 1k Nov 2022: 1k Dec 2022: 1k Jan 2023: 1k Feb 2023: 772 Mar 2023: 683 Apr 2023: 494 May 2023: 437 Jun 2023: 405 Jul 2023: 346 Aug 2023: 350 Sep 2023: 315 Oct 2023: 292 Nov 2023: 269 Dec 2023: 228 Jan 2024: 221 Feb 2024: 177 Mar 2024: 135 Apr 2024: 112 May 2024: 208 Jun 2024: 388 Jul 2024: 573 Aug 2024: 618 Sep 2024: 600 Oct 2024: 644 Nov 2024: 623 Dec 2024: 604 Jan 2025: 653 Feb 2025: 562 Mar 2025: 570 Apr 2025: 492 May 2025: 538 Jun 2025: 547 Jul 2025: 718 Aug 2025: 938 Sep 2025: 1k Oct 2025: 1k Nov 2025: 2k Dec 2025: 4k Jan 2026: 5k Feb 2026: 4k Mar 2026: 4k Apr 2026: 4k May 2026: 4k Jun 2026: 5k Jul 2026: 2k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

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At a glance

  • Therapeutic class Drugs acting on the ear
  • Presentations 1 shown
  • Average cost / item £7.71
  • Year on year Up 648.3% 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 Hydrocortisone this month.

Presentations of Hydrocortisone, May 2026
Presentation BNF code Items Net ingredient cost
Otosporin ear drops 1201010Q0BCAAAC 4,026 £31,037

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

Where Hydrocortisone is dispensed

The regions and dispensing practices with the highest Hydrocortisone volumes.

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

Compare Hydrocortisone with

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

Download this data

The monthly series for Hydrocortisone 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.