Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to prioritise treatment for those most in need of osteoporosis care, in light of significant delays in the assessment and diagnosis of the condition.

There are resources in place to help support healthcare professionals in the early diagnosis of osteoporosis, such as the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance on the risk assessment of osteoporosis (NG259) which was published in July 2026.

The Royal College of General Practitioners also has an e-learning module for general practitioners on the diagnosis and management of osteoporosis, developed in collaboration with the Royal Osteoporosis Society, which is designed to support the early diagnosis of osteoporosis by highlighting groups which are at higher risk of osteoporosis and fragility fractures.

In March this year, the Government announced funding for 20 new bone density, or DEXA, scanners across England, supported by £2.6 million of investment. Tens of thousands of patients will benefit from faster access to bone scans as a result, helping to ensure that people with bone conditions, such as osteoporosis, get diagnosed earlier. This builds on the first wave of 13 DEXA scanners announced last year. In 2025, over 21,000 extra DEXA scans were delivered compared with 2024.