Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to prioritise early detection of osteoporosis in older adults, especially women, and to enhance the timely diagnosis and treatment of people with osteoporosis, following ministerial commitments to do so.

On 24 January 2023, we announced our plan to publish the Major Conditions Strategy. The Strategy will focus on six major groups of conditions, including musculoskeletal (MSK) disorders such as osteoporosis.

We have now published our initial report ‘Major conditions strategy: case for change and our strategic framework’, which is available on GOV.UK in an online-only format. It sets out what we have learned so far, and shares what we plan to focus on next to develop the final strategy.

For MSK conditions, it sets out that we will look to aim to improve services where medical treatment is necessary. Together with NHS England, we will explore supporting the further provision of fracture liaison services. This could include identifying people at risk of further osteoporotic fragility fracture and implementing strategies to reduce the risk of future fracture, including falls, and mortality.