Ibuprofen
Drugs for soft-tissue disorders and topical pain relief | Musculoskeletal and Joint Diseases
Items (National)
3.8M
NHS Cost
£14.8M
Practices
7,430
Avg per Practice
509
Overview
Ibuprofen is prescribed by 7,430 GP practices across England. In the last 12 months, 3,779,275 items were prescribed at a total cost of £14,782,717 to the NHS. It is classified under BNF Chapter Musculoskeletal and Joint Diseases, Section Drugs for soft-tissue disorders and topical pain relief.
Monthly Prescribing Trend
Jun 2026
323,088
Jun 2026
304,460
Jun 2026
330,665
Jun 2026
316,071
Jun 2026
312,926
Jun 2026
325,888
Jun 2026
307,800
Jun 2026
306,018
Jun 2026
318,979
Jun 2026
288,551
Jun 2026
313,376
Jun 2026
314,951
Prescribing by Area
| Area | Items | Practices | Avg/Practice | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B | 193.7K | 289 | 670 | +31.7% ▲ |
| S | 157.9K | 186 | 849 | +66.9% ▲ |
| NG | 148.9K | 146 | 1,020 | +100.5% ▲ |
| M | 99.6K | 196 | 508 | -0.1% vs avg |
| NE | 94.6K | 154 | 615 | +20.8% ▲ |
| LE | 87.2K | 136 | 641 | +26.0% ▲ |
| DE | 83.4K | 91 | 917 | +80.2% ▲ |
| LS | 81.4K | 96 | 848 | +66.6% ▲ |
| DN | 81.4K | 97 | 839 | +64.9% ▲ |
| PE | 79.9K | 98 | 815 | +60.2% ▲ |
| CV | 79.3K | 125 | 634 | +24.7% ▲ |
| L | 74.5K | 154 | 484 | -4.9% ▼ |
| E | 73.0K | 157 | 465 | -8.6% ▼ |
| NR | 72.1K | 76 | 949 | +86.5% ▲ |
| ST | 68.7K | 92 | 746 | +46.7% ▲ |
| HU | 65.9K | 50 | 1,317 | +159.0% ▲ |
| BS | 65.1K | 81 | 804 | +58.0% ▲ |
| SK | 64.7K | 76 | 852 | +67.4% ▲ |
| N | 63.9K | 128 | 499 | -1.9% vs avg |
| WA | 57.9K | 97 | 597 | +17.3% ▲ |
Top Prescribing Practices
| Practice | Items |
|---|---|
| HOLDERNESS HEALTH | 8,863 |
| MODALITY PARTNERSHIP (AWC) | 6,706 |
| MODALITY PARTNERSHIP (HULL) | 6,239 |
BNF Classification
- Chapter: Musculoskeletal and Joint Diseases
- Section: Drugs for soft-tissue disorders and topical pain relief
- Paragraph: Rubefacients, topical NSAIDs, capsaicin and poultices
Related drugs in this section
Explore More
Data sourced from NHSBSA English Prescribing Dataset, CQC, and GP Patient Survey. Prescribing data does not indicate quality of care. Higher prescribing rates may reflect patient demographics. Always consult your GP for medical advice.