Online booking service for blood tests to be paused because of global blood bottle shortage

Patients in Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin are being advised that the online booking service for blood tests is temporarily unavailable.

NHS England (NHSE) has requested all providers take action to reduce the use of blood bottles because of a global shortage.

The online booking service is operated by The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH).

Anyone who needs a test for urgent health problems will still get one, but where your clinician recommends that it’s safe to do so, then you may be asked to come back for a test at a later date, or your appointment may be rescheduled.

Any patients affected by the decision will be contacted and informed of the action required.

Given the nature of the shortage, we cannot give an exact date for when the test will be rescheduled, but please be assured that if your condition or symptoms require it, then you will get a test, and we will be re-booking your test when supplies become more easily available.

Further information will be posted on this website and SaTH and Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin Integrated Care System (ICS) websites as it becomes available.

Claire Parker, Director of Partnerships at NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin CCG, said: “We appreciate how frustrating this is for patients, but the global shortage of blood bottles has meant that there is no option but to preserve our supplies of the bottles for urgent and emergency care.

“We thank you all in advance for your understanding during this unprecedented situation and we aim to keep patients updated on the situation.”

Please click on the link below to see a BBC story on the shortage:

NHS blood tube shortage: Supplier ramps up imports