Emergency care: If you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency, please continue to call 999 as normal.
Hospital appointments: Patients should continue to attend planned appointments unless contacted directly by their care team.
Non-emergency care: If you need urgent medical advice but it is not a life-threatening emergency, please continue to use NHS 111.
Contacting our services: Some email communications and online services may be affected. If your enquiry is urgent, please contact the relevant service by telephone rather than email where possible.
Publish date: 23 February 2026
A fault at a major global manufacturer has led to a temporary shortage of bone cement, which is used in procedures such as joint replacements and some emergency operations. This disruption is affecting healthcare providers across the UK and internationally.
Although some alternative products are available, they cannot fully replace usual supply levels. National guidance has asked NHS organisations to prioritise patients with the most urgent clinical need. This means some less urgent procedures may be postponed while supplies stabilise. Our teams will keep any disruption to a minimum and will contact patients directly if their appointment or surgery needs to change.
Please continue to attend all appointments unless you are told otherwise. If you are worried about how this may affect you, please speak with your clinical team, who will be able to advise and support you. Further information is available below.
Heraeus Medical, a manufacturer of bone cement used in medical procedures such as emergency surgery and routine hip and knee replacements experienced a fault at their factory.
As a result, there will be an ongoing global supply disruption for the next few weeks.
For some procedures, alternative products are available from other suppliers but they will not be able to produce enough stock to cover everything Heraeus Medical would usually provide.
Due to the global supply disruption, NHS England, The Department of Health and Social Care and the National Orthopaedic Society have asked NHS Trusts to prioritise providing procedures to patients with the most urgent clinical need to ensure there is enough supply.
This may mean that some patients with less clinically urgent needs have their care postponed, but medical teams will do their best to keep disruption to a minimum.
It is important that you continue to attend all your appointments as normal unless told otherwise by your provider.
The NHS remains open and you should also continue to use the NHS as normal for any other care you need.
Your care provider will contact you directly if your appointment is postponed. If you do not hear from them, please attend all your scheduled appointments as normal.
The NHS remains open and you should also continue to use the NHS as normal for any care you need.
Yes. This is a global supply disruption and is impacting other organisations, not just the NHS.
If you have any concerns or questions about what this means for you or your care, you should contact your care provider. They will be able to advise you.
