Blood Tests: Bottles

(asked on 7th September 2021) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when the NHS plans to suspend the rationing of blood tests as a result of the shortage of blood collection tubes.


Answered by
Edward Argar Portrait
Edward Argar
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
This question was answered on 13th September 2021

In a letter dated 26 August issued by NHS England and Improvement to the National Health Service, it highlights that the position will improve form the middle of September and that all non-urgent use must be halted until 17 September 2021. In the last two weeks of August the NHS has been supplied with approximately 87% of its pre-disruption requirement on the fastest moving product lines and with the availability of new product it is expected this will increase over the first weeks of September to support resumption of services by the middle of September.

Patient safety is the top priority and we are working closely with NHS England and the devolved administrations to minimise any impact on patient care and return to a normal service as soon as possible.

Reticulating Splines