NHS operations across Wales disrupted by bone cement shortageHealth boards in Wales have been told to prioritise urgent patients while the shortage continuesView Image Operations have been paused temporarily (Image: PA)A shortage of a surgical material has resulted in operations being disrupted in Wales. ‌There is a global shortage of bone cement that is used in a wide range of emergency and planned orthopaedic surgical procedures including knee and hip replacements. ‌Heraeus Medical, the main supplier of bone cement for the NHS, which is based in Germany, reported a packaging fault affecting its bone cement products. This has meant that all planned (elective) joint replacement operations in Wales which require the use of cement are being paused temporarily. ‌"As a result, all planned (elective) joint replacement operations in Wales which require the use of cement are being paused temporarily.

Source: Daily Mirror February 19, 2026 22:42 UTC