Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce the risks of (a) uterine prolapse and (b) osteoporosis among women with spinal cord injuries through (i) improved access to preventive care, (ii) diagnosis and (iii) long-term management strategies.
The Government will prioritise women’s health, placing women’s equality at the heart of our agenda, and ensuring that women’s health is never neglected again. Symptoms of uterine prolapse can usually be improved with pelvic floor exercises and lifestyle changes, but sometimes medical treatment is needed. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has produced guidance on the management of pelvic organ prolapse in women, which is available at the following link:
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng123
For patients who need surgery for uterine prolapse, the NHS England Specialised Commissioning Clinical Reference Group for specialised women’s services has produced a service specification for specialised complex surgery for urinary incontinence and vaginal and uterine prolapse, which is available at the following link:
The implications of musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions, such as osteoporosis, for women’s health cannot not be overlooked. MSK conditions disproportionately impact women. One in three women will experience an osteoporotic fracture in their lifetime, compared to one in five men. Women are more at risk of developing osteoporosis due to hormone changes that happen at the menopause, and directly affect bone density.
For all people, including those with spinal injuries, regular exercise and healthy eating are important factors in preventing osteoporosis. Weight-bearing exercise and resistance exercise are particularly important for improving bone density and helping to prevent osteoporosis. Eating foods rich in calcium and vitamin D, or taking vitamin D supplements, is also an important way people can maintain their bone health and reduce their risk of osteoporosis.
The drug Raloxifene is also recommended by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence for the primary prevention of osteoporotic fragility fractures in postmenopausal women. In addition, the Government is committed to expanding access to Fracture Liaison Services. Fracture Liaison Services are a globally recognised secondary fracture prevention model for those with osteoporosis, which can reduce the risk of refracture by up to 40%. With NHS England, we are considering a range of options to identify the most effective ways of improving the quality of, and access to, the Fracture Liaison Service model and the interventions it provides.
To support early diagnosis of osteoporosis, including in those with spinal cord injuries, the Government is investing £1.5 billion capital funding in 2025/26 for new surgical hubs and diagnostic scanners to build capacity for over 30,000 additional procedures and over 1.25 million diagnostic tests as they come online.