Osteoporosis and Bone Health

Written Question

Osteoporosis: Health Services

Wednesday 15th May 2024

Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to improve waiting times for treatment for osteoporosis patients.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Our aim is that 95% of patients needing a diagnostic check receive it within six weeks, by March 2025. As of April 2024, there are 160 community diagnostic centres (CDCs) currently operational that have delivered over seven million additional tests since July 2021. Some of these CDCs will offer bone density scans, also known as dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scans, which can be used to diagnose or assess patients’ risk of osteoporosis. There are 22 CDCs already providing DEXA scans across England, as of March 2024.

From 2022/23 to 2024/25, the Government is spending more than £11.3 billion to support elective recovery and tackle long waiting times, which could deliver nine million more checks and procedures to help support patients with conditions like osteoporosis.

Departmental Publication (Statistics)
Department for Science, Innovation & Technology

Apr. 25 2024

Source Page: Regulatory Horizons Council: the Future Regulation of Space Technologies
Document: (PDF)

Found: and test • Concerns over safety and reliability • Environmental and health impacts • ‘Dual -

Scottish Government Publication (Advice and guidance)
Health and Social Care Finance, Digital and Governance Directorate

Apr. 22 2024

Source Page: Quality Prescribing Strategy for Respiratory A Guide for Improvement 2024-2027
Document: Quality Prescribing Strategy for Respiratory: A Guide for Improvement 2024-2027 (PDF)

Found: osteoporosis.

Select Committee

University of Cambridge

HSC0055 - High streets in towns and small cities

Written Evidence Apr. 16 2024

Inquiry: High streets in towns and small cities
Inquiry Status: Closed
Committee: Built Environment Committee

Found: HSC0055 - High streets in towns and small cities University of Cambridge Written Evidence

Non-Departmental Publication (Guidance and Regulation)
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency

Apr. 04 2024

Source Page: International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use Guidelines
Document: S5(R3) – Revision of S5 Guidelines on Detection of Toxicity to Reproduction for Human Pharmaceuticals (PDF)

Found: intended for situations where the treatment population is presumptively infertile (e.g., post -menopausal osteoporosis