Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what role animal blood-enriched agar plays in (a) bacterial culture, (b) antimicrobial susceptibility testing, (c) AMR surveillance and (d) the recent meningitis outbreak.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department supports the use of validated laboratory methods to ensure accurate diagnosis, effective treatment, and robust surveillance, while encouraging the development and adoption of suitable alternatives where these can be used safely and effectively. These methods and alternatives include:

- bacterial culture, in which animal blood‑enriched agar is commonly used in clinical laboratories to help bacteria grow so that infections can be identified accurately. Some bacteria require enriched growth conditions, and the appearance of the growth on these media can help distinguish between different types of bacteria;

- antimicrobial susceptibility testing, where, in certain cases, blood‑enriched agar is required to test whether specific bacteria remain sensitive to particular antibiotics. This ensures that test results are reliable and supports clinicians in choosing the most effective treatment for patients;

- antimicrobial resistance surveillance, where laboratory results are generated using established culture and susceptibility testing methods, including blood‑enriched agar where clinically appropriate, contribute to national antimicrobial resistance surveillance. This information helps monitor resistance trends and informs public health policy and clinical guidance; and

- the recent meningitis outbreak, during which blood‑enriched agar was used, as a standard laboratory medium, in the identification of bacteria that can cause meningitis. It forms part of routine diagnostic and public health laboratory practice and supports the timely confirmation and investigation of cases during outbreaks. During the recent outbreak, such media formed part of the standard range of laboratory methods available to support diagnosis where clinically appropriate.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on where licenced donor animal blood is sourced from to develop animal blood-enriched agar for use across the NHS; and if he will make a statement about the importance of sustainable national supply of this material

Answered by Zubir Ahmed

The Department recognises that animal blood-enriched agar is a critical component in microbiological diagnostics, and we recognise the importance of a sustainable and secure supply of such materials.

There are a number of suppliers on NHS Supply Chain’s current framework which offer donor animal blood supply for diagnostic use which support a level of resilience across England. To date there has been no issues with supply.

Where challenges in the supply of key products arise, these would be escalated to the Department’s National Supply Disruption Response, which works collaboratively with suppliers, manufacturers, and system partners to understand the nature of the disruption and to support appropriate mitigations.

The Department does not routinely centrally collect detailed information on the source of the licensed donor animal blood used in the manufacture of blood-enriched agar.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the level of resilience of UK donor animal blood supply for diagnostic use across the NHS and the need for continuous supply.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed

The Department recognises that animal blood-enriched agar is a critical component in microbiological diagnostics, and we recognise the importance of a sustainable and secure supply of such materials.

There are a number of suppliers on NHS Supply Chain’s current framework which offer donor animal blood supply for diagnostic use which support a level of resilience across England. To date there has been no issues with supply.

Where challenges in the supply of key products arise, these would be escalated to the Department’s National Supply Disruption Response, which works collaboratively with suppliers, manufacturers, and system partners to understand the nature of the disruption and to support appropriate mitigations.

The Department does not routinely centrally collect detailed information on the source of the licensed donor animal blood used in the manufacture of blood-enriched agar.

Found: ) George Freeman (Conservative; Mid Norfolk) Dr Allison Gardner (Labour; Stoke-on-Trent South) Kit Malthouse

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Dame Chi Onwurah (Chair); Emily Darlington; Kit Malthouse; Samantha

Found: Q165 Kit Malthouse: All right.

Found: Q165 Kit Malthouse: All right.

Found: ) George Freeman (Conservative; Mid Norfolk) Dr Allison Gardner (Labour; Stoke-on-Trent South) Kit Malthouse

Found: Q1 Kit Malthouse: Professor, good morning.

Found: Rt Hon Kit Malthouse MP, Minister of State(attendsCabinet) 5.

Found: and Footscray Royal British LegionVice-President, Bexleyheath and District Club fortheDisabled Kit Malthouse

Found: Rt Hon Kit Malthouse MP, Minister of State(attendsCabinet) 5.

Found: Legion Vice-President, Bexleyheath and District Club for the Disabled Kit Malthouse

Found: close family member Mr Lewis’ family members are Directors of Woodlands Schools Ltd Kit Malthouse

Found: District Club for the Disabled President, Sidcup & Foots Cray Royal British Legion Kit Malthouse

Found: Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Kit Malthouse said: We must constantly agitate and innovate to