Publish date: 18 August 2021
We have been notified of a supply disruption in relation to Becton Dickinson (BD) with their Blood Specimen Collection Portfolio. Whilst Becton Dickinson do not supply blood bottles for use by users of Liverpool Clinical Laboratories (LCL), this disruption may impact on supply of all blood collection systems, including Greiner.
Details of the products impacted and the demand management measures in place are included in the Important Customer Notice, issued by NHS Supply Chain. NHS England and NHS Improvement recently shared background information on this issue. (updated 17 August)
LCL have issued detailed guidance to ensure optimisation of our current stockholding. The main points are outlined below:
- Clinical leaders should ensure all staff ordering or taking bloods are informed of the following recommendations, and that these are actioned urgently to protect existing supply levels
- Please reduce non-essential (non-clinically urgent) blood testing
- Encourage add-on testing to reduce the need for blood tube usage
- HbA1C tests, please take a Grey top tube (Sodium Fluoride) rather than an EDTA sample. Changes will be made in ICE requesting to reflect this alteration in blood tube requirements
We are receiving daily updates and reviewing our stocks through NHS supply chain, following national guidance. We have assessed the risk and currently this is amber on our risk register.
As this is a fluid and evolving national situation, we will communicate as required with a minimum of weekly updates on Monday and Thursday afternoons.
If you have queries that are not answered by the national guidance, please contact lclcustomercare@liverpoolft.nhs.uk