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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Other single substance preparations

Other Drugs and Preparations Single substances BNF 190400000
Data updated May 2026 Download CSV

Other single substance preparations was ranked 1225th of 1,796 medicines by items in May 2026, with 97 items, down 3.0% on a year earlier.

97items -3%

Dispensed in May 2026

1,051items

Rolling 12 months

£1,837

Net ingredient cost · May 2026

Figure 1. Other single substance preparations: national items dispensed by month

0 91.5 183 Jan 2021 Dec 2021 Oct 2022 Aug 2023 Jun 2024 Apr 2025 Jul 2026 45 Jan 2021: 160 Feb 2021: 154 Mar 2021: 167 Apr 2021: 161 May 2021: 148 Jun 2021: 154 Jul 2021: 160 Sep 2021: 182 Oct 2021: 171 Nov 2021: 171 Dec 2021: 183 Jan 2022: 163 Feb 2022: 109 Mar 2022: 170 Apr 2022: 151 May 2022: 139 Jun 2022: 132 Jul 2022: 139 Aug 2022: 117 Sep 2022: 145 Oct 2022: 144 Nov 2022: 144 Dec 2022: 143 Jan 2023: 125 Feb 2023: 134 Mar 2023: 147 Apr 2023: 114 May 2023: 113 Jun 2023: 130 Jul 2023: 109 Aug 2023: 115 Sep 2023: 108 Oct 2023: 124 Nov 2023: 143 Dec 2023: 155 Jan 2024: 160 Feb 2024: 113 Mar 2024: 113 Apr 2024: 123 May 2024: 112 Jun 2024: 101 Jul 2024: 119 Aug 2024: 100 Sep 2024: 133 Oct 2024: 111 Nov 2024: 115 Dec 2024: 116 Jan 2025: 121 Feb 2025: 107 Mar 2025: 100 Apr 2025: 108 May 2025: 100 Jun 2025: 97 Jul 2025: 119 Aug 2025: 97 Sep 2025: 96 Oct 2025: 108 Nov 2025: 97 Dec 2025: 121 Jan 2026: 119 Feb 2026: 93 Mar 2026: 119 Apr 2026: 104 May 2026: 97 Jun 2026: 114 Jul 2026: 45

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

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At a glance

  • Therapeutic class Single substances
  • Presentations 5 shown
  • Average cost / item £18.94
  • Year on year Down 3.0% 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 Other single substance preparations this month.

Presentations of Other single substance preparations, May 2026
Presentation BNF code Items Net ingredient cost
Glycerol liquid 190400000AATUTU 76 £1,172
Menthol crystals 190400000AAAIAI 18 £140
Acetone liquid 190400000AAAAAA 1 £3
Peppermint emulsion concentrated 190400000AAAUAU 1 £499
Potassium chlorate powder 190400000AAMWMW 1 £22

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

Where Other single substance preparations is dispensed

The regions and dispensing practices with the highest Other single substance preparations volumes.

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

Download this data

The monthly series for Other single substance preparations 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.