NHS England has alerted all Doctors Surgeries that there is a shortage of products from their Blood Specimen Collection that is impacting across most main blood tube supplies.
They are working closely with DHSC, NHS Supply Chain, the MHRA and colleagues from the devolved administrations, given the impact on other parts of the UK, NHS England and NHS Improvement is co-ordinating the NHS’ response in England, on a national basis.
The supply position remains constrained and is forecasted to become even more constrained over the coming weeks. While it is anticipated that the position will improve from the middle of September, overall supply is likely to remain challenging for a significant period.
Primary Care and community care
All primary care and community testing must be halted until 17 September 2021, except for clinically urgent testing. Examples of clinically urgent testing include:
- Bloods that are required to facilitate a two week wait referral
- Bloods that are extremely overdue and/or essential for safe prescribing of medication or monitoring of condition
- Bloods that if taken could avoid a hospital admission or prevent an onward referral
- Those with suspected sepsis or conditions with a risk of death or disability
NHS England and NHS Improvement have made system regulators, including the CQC aware of this supply issue.
We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause any of our of patients, but unfortunately this is something out of our control. Our Reception team will be working with our clinicians to establish the patients that have clinically urgent blood test appointments already booked as they will still need to attend.
We will keep our patients informed as changes are disseminated to us.
Jayne – Practice Manager