Medical-grade honey is not a fringe remedy in the UK. Sterilised honey dressings sit in Part IXA of the NHS Drug Tariff alongside foams, alginates, and silver dressings, and appear in the wound-management appendix of the BNF. That means a district nurse can requisition them, and a GP or nurse prescriber can issue them on an FP10.
What is available
| Format | Typical products | Usually chosen for |
|---|---|---|
| Honey gel / tube | Activon Tube, Medihoney gel | Cavity wounds, applying honey to a secondary dressing, small areas |
| Impregnated tulle | Activon Tulle | Flat, shallow, low-to-moderate exudate wounds |
| Honey-loaded alginate | Algivon, Algivon Plus | Wetter wounds where the dressing must hold honey in place and absorb fluid |
Every one of these is a registered medical device made from honey that has been characterised, sterilised (typically by gamma irradiation) and manufactured under a quality system — which is what separates it from a jar of honey. That distinction is set out on our definition page.
How it gets prescribed
- Assessment — a practice nurse, district nurse, or tissue viability nurse assesses the wound bed, exudate level, infection signs, and dressing-change frequency.
- Formulary check — local wound formularies list which honey products are first-line in that area; this varies between trusts and health boards.
- Prescription or requisition — the dressing is issued on an FP10 (GP10 in Scotland, WP10 in Wales), or drawn from community stores for nurse-applied care.
- Review — honey dressings are normally reviewed within two weeks; if the wound is not progressing, the plan changes.
When honey is the sensible choice
- Sloughy or necrotic wounds needing gentle autolytic debridement without sharp debridement.
- Malodorous wounds — odour often falls within the first few dressing changes as bioburden drops.
- Stalled wounds where an antimicrobial is wanted without reaching for a systemic antibiotic.
- Overgranulation and biofilm-prone beds, as part of a wider plan.
When it is not
- Dry, necrotic, poorly perfused tissue on an ischaemic limb — perfusion must be assessed first.
- Heavily exuding wounds where honey will be washed away unless a honey-loaded alginate is used.
- Known honey or bee-product sensitivity.
- Any wound with signs of spreading infection or systemic illness — that needs medical review, not a dressing change.
Cautions and expected side effects, including the stinging that some patients report on application, are covered on our side effects page.
Cost, in context
Individual honey dressings cost a few pounds each — more than plain gauze, far less than a course of systemic antibiotics or an extra month of twice-weekly district nurse visits. In practice the cost question that matters to a service is not the unit price but total time to healing and nursing visits per week, which is how wound-formulary decisions are argued in the UK.
Frequently asked questions
Are honey dressings available on the NHS?
Yes. Sterile medical-grade honey dressings appear in Part IXA of the NHS Drug Tariff and in the wound-management section of the BNF, which means they can be prescribed in primary care on an FP10 and requisitioned by community and hospital wound-care teams. Availability of a specific brand or size depends on your local formulary, which individual trusts and health boards set themselves.
Can my GP prescribe a honey dressing?
A GP, or a nurse or pharmacist independent prescriber, can prescribe a listed honey dressing on an FP10 in England (GP10 in Scotland, WP10 in Wales). In practice the choice is usually made or advised by a practice nurse, district nurse, or the tissue viability service, because dressing selection depends on the wound bed, exudate level, and how often the dressing can be changed.
Which honey dressings are most commonly used in the UK?
The products most often seen in UK practice are the Activon range (Activon Tube, Activon Tulle, Algivon and Algivon Plus) from Advancis Medical, and Medihoney products. All use sterilised medical-grade honey — most commonly mānuka — presented as a gel, an impregnated tulle, or a honey-loaded alginate.
Do I have to pay for a honey dressing?
If it is prescribed on an FP10 in England the normal prescription charge applies per item unless you are exempt; prescriptions are free in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Dressings applied by a nurse during an NHS appointment, or supplied through a community stores account, are not charged to the patient.
Why would a nurse choose honey over silver or iodine?
Honey is commonly chosen for sloughy or necrotic wounds needing autolytic debridement, for malodorous wounds, and where an antimicrobial dressing is wanted without an antibiotic. Silver and iodine dressings are alternatives with their own indications and cautions. The decision rests with the clinician assessing the wound and follows local antimicrobial stewardship guidance.
Can I buy the same dressings without a prescription?
Yes — the same CE/UKCA-marked dressings are sold by pharmacies and medical suppliers for self-purchase. Buying the dressing is not a substitute for having the wound assessed: any wound that is deteriorating, spreading redness, painful, or failing to improve over two weeks needs clinical review.
Related guides
- Is honey used in hospitals?
- Medihoney vs Activon compared
- How to use a medical honey dressing
- Reader stories from real wounds
- Where to buy medical grade honey
This page is an independent reference summary, not clinical advice. Product availability and formulary status change — check the current Drug Tariff and your local wound formulary, and always follow the plan set by the clinician managing the wound.