A growing chorus of the country’s leading osteoporosis experts are calling for Health Secretary Wes Streeting to deliver on his promise to end the NHS postcode lottery that condemns millions of people to avoidable fractures.
Before the election, Wes Streeting told this newspaper that one of his first acts in government would be to commission NHS England with an “implementation plan” to give all parts of the country access to Fracture Liaison Services (FLS). , for its acronym in English), the gold standard in the early diagnosis of debilitating bone disease.
He also promised 15,000 additional bone density scans, known as DEXA scans, each year to ensure the disease, which weakens bones and causes untold pain and suffering from fractures, can be diagnosed sooner.
But chancellor Rachel Reeves’ budget, which allocated an extra £22.6 billion to the NHS, made no mention of osteoporosis care. This comes despite Streeting accusing Rishi Sunak’s Government of “betraying patients” for failing to provide funding for FLS in the March Budget.
Now a steering group of leading charities, medical societies and patient groups have written to Mr Streeting urging him to “act now”. The group, which includes the Royal Osteoporosis Society, Age UK, Versus Arthritis and the Royal College of Physicians, said it welcomed Mr Streeting’s “important commitment” to achieving full FLS coverage by 2030, but called for ” confirmation” of when the plans would be implemented. launched.
It said: “Taking into account your comments in The Mail on Sunday, we hope that the implementation of FLS can now be one of the first priorities.”
GP and medical broadcaster Dr Sarah Jarvis has described the failure to address the postcode lottery for NHS osteoporosis care as “a scandal”.
Wes Streeting told this newspaper that one of his first acts in government would be to commission NHS England with an “implementation plan” to give every part of the country access to Fracture Liaison Services (FLS). ), the gold standard in the early diagnosis of osteoporosis.
Dr Sarah Jarvis, a GP and medical broadcaster, has also added her voice to the campaign, describing the failure to address the issue as “a scandal”. “The simple fact is that Wes Streeting made a written commitment to Fracture Liaison Services,” says Dr. Jarvis. ‘I would like to be surprised that the plan was not mentioned in the budget, but the truth is that osteoporosis care has always been at the back of the queue – it is the silent epidemic.
‘FLS are a minimum requirement for patients. Given the lives affected by this condition and the cost to the NHS and social services of caring for frail people with fractures, screening for osteoporosis is a no-brainer for the NHS, which is why the Government needs to fund it.’
There are 3.5 million people living with osteoporosis in the UK, but it is often known as a ‘silent disease’ as there are no symptoms until someone breaks a bone.
Half of women and one in five men over the age of 50 will suffer a fracture, most often in the spine or hips, due to this disease, which causes bones to become so brittle that a fracture can be caused by a cough or a sneeze. These fractures are the fourth leading cause of disability and premature death in the UK.
Dr. Jarvis points to statistics showing that people who fracture a hip are up to eight times more likely to die within three months and three to four times more likely to die within a year.
And she also describes her own experience with the disease, which was diagnosed 15 months ago after she requested a scan, and which, according to the 61-year-old, had left her with bones “like those of a 90-year-old.” .
“As a GP who knows the risks, I was diagnosed with multiple fractures before I was diagnosed, I am very aware that I am one of the lucky ones because I was caught,” she said.
The Mail on Sunday launched a campaign last year to expand FLS to all parts of England, backed by the Royal Osteoporosis Society.
At the moment, only half of all Trusts have services that aim to investigate the cause of fractures by carrying out DEXA scans and treating osteoporosis if detected. Diagnosing it early means patients can start taking bone-sparing medications sooner, leading to better outcomes and fewer fractures.
The campaign was spearheaded by Mail business editor Ruth Sunderland following her osteoporosis diagnosis. Last month she was invited to meet the Queen, who congratulated Ruth for raising awareness of the condition.
The Mail’s business editor Ruth Sunderland meets the Queen, who congratulated Ruth on raising awareness about osteoporosis.
The group’s letter also points out that the treatment “costs the NHS as little as £12 a year” and that the introduction of an FLS “breaks even in 18 to 24 months”.
Dr Nicky Peel, former clinical director of the metabolic bone service at Sheffield North General Hospital, who is also a trustee of the Royal Osteoporosis Society, said: “There is a real urgency to assess people who
suffer low-impact fractures thoroughly and quickly, as there is good evidence that this can protect against future fractures and save the NHS money in the long term.
‘Four months after Wes Streeting said this would be one of the first things he would implement, we are still waiting to find out how and when it will be implemented. The clock is ticking, and people who miss out and suffer fractures as a result will miss their chance.’