Health Board Statement on Global Orthopaedic Surgery Bone Cement Shortage

Thursday 19th February 2026

As reported in the national news, there is currently a global supply issue with bone cement used in orthopaedic surgery for hips, shoulders and knees, which is resulting in a worldwide shortage that is expected to last for at least two months.

We are working closely with other Health Boards in Wales, along with Welsh Government, to manage this situation.

As we must prioritise the most clinically urgent cases and protect our remaining supply of cement for trauma and emergency patients, this shortage is sadly likely to result in cancellations or delays to elective operations over the coming weeks.

We are asking patients not to contact us to ask if their operation is going ahead - anyone whose elective operation is affected will be contacted directly by the Health Board.

We apologise for the inconvenience caused, however these circumstances are beyond our control. We will provide further updates as soon as we have any additional information.

In the meantime, we are also reminding residents to take care to avoid slips, trips and falls, and to check in on vulnerable loved ones to ensure they are not venturing out in cold, icy weather and risking injuries.

Further information about the supply issue is available on the British Orthopaedic Association’s website: Heraeus bone cement supply issue

Information on keeping well before surgery is available here: The Keeping Well Service - Aneurin Bevan University Health Board