Overview
- Two clinically assured substitutes — Zimmer Biomet High Fatigue G and Johnson & Johnson CMW Smartset GHV Gentamicin — have been approved, with NHS England calling the sourcing a “rescue package.”
- Hospitals had postponed some planned hip and knee procedures while maintaining emergency and trauma surgery, with patients told they would be contacted directly if their care changed.
- Officials had warned of a six to eight‑week supply gap after Heraeus Medical paused production because of a packaging fault, and supplies remain tight even as manufacturing restarts.
- York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals expect delivery of the new cement on Thursday, with leaders saying routine schedules should proceed once stock arrives and training is completed.
- Clinical teams are prioritising highest‑need patients and may bring forward operations that do not require bone cement at short notice as supply is managed.