By Local NHS tests hit by issues with supplier
Some “non-urgent and routine” tests are being cancelled due to problems with Swiss pharmaceutical firm Roche.
Issues with Roche have led to a temporary shortage of some of the chemicals used to process test results, according to Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust (NLaG), who said the company was “working urgently to resolve this”.
A spokesman said Covid-19 tests would be prioritised, but it could take two weeks to fix the issue, according to the BBC.
In a statement, Roche said: “We deeply regret that there has been a delay in the dispatch of some products.
“We are prioritising the dispatch of Covid-19 PCR [diagnostic] and antibody tests and doing everything we can to ensure there is no impact on the supply of these to the NHS.”
It did not comment on the impact on other specific tests including for kidney, liver and thyroid function, sepsis and infection.
The company is one of the main suppliers of diagnostic testing equipment and materials in the UK.
The affected warehouse in Sussex is Roche’s only distribution centre in the UK and covers the whole country, with Sky News reporting that Roche built this new automated warehouse to increase capacity ahead of Brexit.
