The head of NHS England says he is “really worried” about the supply of medicines and equipment because of the conflict in the Middle East.
The Strait of Hormuz has effectively been closed since the start of the US-Israel war on Iran which has put up energy prices and affected shipping routes.
Jim Mackey, NHS England’s chief executive, told LBC radio, “We are really worried about this. We’ve already had a couple of supply shocks in the past 12 to 18 months.”
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One of these “supply shocks” was a recent cyberattack by a group linked to Iran on Stryker, a US company which manufactures medical products. The attack affected its operations, shipping, and distribution.
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Stryker’s products are used in the NHS for a wide range of procedures including trauma and orthopaedics, neuroradiology, and diagnostics.
Mackey said in that case it had been supplies of theatre instruments that had been affected but added that everything was at risk. “The supply chain is very, very international.”