NHS lands vital supply of bone cement to resume joint surgeries following disruption

Hospitals across Britain were told to postpone treatments last week, including knee and hip replacements, after problems arose at the health service's main supplier - Heraeus Medical.

The medical firm, which supplies around three-quarters of the bone cement used by the NHS, had to temporarily halt production at its main site in Germany due to critical machine failure.

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It left the NHS with only two weeks' supply in stock, meaning only the most complex cases and emergency patients were treated.

But the shortfall is now expected to be covered, after NHS England found a new supplier and agreed a deal with another existing supplier to increase its deliveries.

Prof Tim Briggs of NHS England said: "This shortage has been extremely concerning for patients and surgeons and we are delighted the NHS has now been able to secure this 'rescue package' of alternative bone cement to ensure trauma and elective care can continue across the country."

Patients who have had their operations cancelled will be contacted by the NHS to reschedule as soon as possible, Professor Briggs said.

Bone cement is used in more than 1,000 operations a week, including in joint replacements, to treat older patients who have suffered falls and those with broken hips.

There are currently 850,000 patients on the waiting list in England for joint treatment - the largest of any specialty.

Heraeus Medical said the disruption, which was caused while the supplier was in the process of upgrading its production processes, will last for two months.

But the NHS was able to avoid disaster by securing enough of the crucial product from Dutch manufacturer Zimmer Biomet to last 10 to 12 weeks.

After the first stocks landed in the UK, one of the NHS's other suppliers, Johnson and Johnson, said it could increase its deliveries too.

The extra supplies will also be available to hospitals in other parts of the UK which were affected by the shortage.

Fergal Monsell of the British Orthopaedic Association said: "The alternative bone cement has been widely used since 2008 and has been assessed by surgical experts who confirm that it has the same chemical components and material properties.

"Patients can therefore be reassured that this will not affect the outcome of their surgery."