Fractures: Health Services

(asked on 29th January 2025) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is their latest cost-benefit analysis of rolling out fracture liaison services across the country, including (1) how many people are likely to avoid fractures and how many fractures could be avoided per year as a result of early detection, (2) how much NHS resource could be saved, and (3) how many days of work absence or years of early retirement could be avoided.


Answered by
Baroness Merron Portrait
Baroness Merron
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
This question was answered on 12th February 2025

We remain committed to rolling out Fracture Liaison Services (FLS) across every part of the country by 2030. That is what my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care promised before the election, and what he is delivering.

In the meantime, we are investing in 14 high-tech bone density DEXA scanners, which are expected to provide an extra 29,000 scans, to ensure that people with bone conditions get diagnosed earlier

FLS are a globally recognised care model and can reduce the risk of refracture for people at risk of osteoporosis by up to 40%. They can play a vital role in improving quality of life and increasing the number of years that can be lived in good health.

The Government and NHS England support the clinical case for services which help to prevent fragility fractures and support the patients who sustain them. Officials continue to work closely with NHS England to explore a range of options to provide better quality and access to these important preventative services. Impacts will be assessed, as these options are considered, taking into consideration the evidence gathered from the 60 services already in operation in England.

Reticulating Splines