Bone disease treatment delay will cost 1,400 women’s lives, charity warns Chancellor

Around 1,400 women will die if Chancellor Jeremy Hunt fails to end the postcode lottery on a devastating bone disease affecting millions.

MPs, peers and top doctors urge Mr. Hunt to provide £30 million in funding for early detection of osteoporosis. Experts say the measure would pay for itself many times over.

Campaigners hoped he would spare the money in this month’s Budget to install Fracture Liaison Services (FLS) in all NHS trusts in England and Wales.

But Mr. Hunt turned a deaf ear to pleas to roll it out across the UK. It will cost up to 1,400 lives, say experts at the Royal Osteoporosis Society.

Campaigners say his inaction will also result in £39m of wasted costs in the NHS and social care.

MPs, peers and top doctors urge Mr. Hunt to provide £30 million in funding for early detection of osteoporosis

When a patient over the age of 50 presents to the ED with a broken bone, they are referred to an FLS, if one is available, who will assess them for osteoporosis.

Those with the disease can then be offered treatment.

Although FLS are available in all NHS trusts in Scotland and Northern Ireland, they are in just over half of trusts in England and Wales.

The Mail on Sunday’s War On Osteoporosis campaign has been endorsed by the presidents of seven Medical Royal Colleges, 43 charities and by social networking sites Mumsnet and Gransnet. It is also supported by business organizations and trade unions.

A growing list of 270 politicians from the major parties also backs us.

Former Home Secretary David Blunkett said the lack of funding for FLS was a false economy because without it, thousands of people would suffer painful fractures before they were diagnosed.

‘By doing nothing. . . Ministers have chosen the most expensive solution,’ he added.

Craig Jones, chief executive of the Royal Osteoporosis Society, urged the government to take swift action to combat the disease.