Additional Info

Field Value
Data last updated 26 March 2026
Metadata last updated 26 March 2026
Created 26 March 2026
Format text/csv
Licence Open Government Licence 3.0 (United Kingdom)

Data Dictionary

Column Title Type Description
BNF_CHAPTER BNF Chapter string The name of the BNF chapter where the drug is categorised
BNF_CHAPTER_CODE BNF Chapter Code string The first two digits of the 15-digit BNF Code, which indicate the chapter of the BNF where the drug is categorised, and the name of the BNF chapter where the drug is categorised
BNF_SECTION BNF Section string The name of the BNF section where the drug is categorised
BNF_SECTION_CODE BNF Section Code string The first four digits of the 15-digit BNF Code, which indicate the chapter and section of the BNF where the drug is categorised.
BNF_PARAGRAPH BNF Paragraph Name string The name of the BNF paragraph where the drug is categorised.
BNF_PARAGRAPH_CODE BNF Paragraph Code string The first five digits of the 15-digit BNF Code, which indicate the chemical substance under which the drug or appliance is categorised.
BNF_SUBPARAGRAPH BNF Subparagraph Name string The name of the BNF paragraph where the drug is categorised.
BNF_SUBPARAGRAPH_CODE BNF Subparagraph Code string The first six digits of the 15-digit BNF Code, which indicate the chemical substance under which the drug or appliance is categorised.
BNF_CHEMICAL_SUBSTANCE BNF Chemical Substance string This is the International Non-proprietary Name (INN) and is the standard registered name for the active constituent of that medicine, for example omeprazole. For compounds the name may be more complex, such as co-magaldrox magnesium/aluminium hydrox). In some cases the name is a collective one for a range of medicines, such as alginic acid compound preparations. For prescriptions in BNF chapters 19 to 23, there is no "chemical" name, as these are dressings and appliances. Therefore, these items are reported under the BNF section name, for example, night drainage bags.
BNF_CHEMICAL_SUBSTANCE_CODE BNF Chemical Substance Code string The first nine digits of the 15-digit BNF Code, which indicate the chemical substance under which the drug or appliance is categorised.
BNF_PRODUCT BNF Product Name string The name of the BNF product which may be proprietary or generic.
BNF_PRODUCT_CODE BNF Product Code string The code of the BNF product which may be proprietary or generic.
BNF_PRESENTATION BNF Presentation Description string The individual preparation name of the drug, which may be proprietary or generic, followed by strength and form.
BNF_PRESENTATION_CODE BNF Presentation Code string The BNF Code is a 15-digit code in which the first seven digits are allocated according to the categories in the BNF and the last 8 digits represent the medicinal product, form, strength and the link to the generic equivalent product. NHS Prescription Services has created pseudo BNF chapters, which are not published, for items not included in BNF chapters 1 to 15. The majority of such items are dressings and appliances which NHS Prescription Services has classified into four pseudo BNF chapters (20 to 23).