Ministers are facing criticism over the lack of osteoporosis screening clinics in England, after NHS Wales managed to introduce the services nationwide with what has been described as “relatively little investment”.
Since 2024, The Mail on Sunday has joined forces with the Royal Osteoporosis Society to campaign for universal access to these bone-health clinics across the UK, arguing they are vital to preventing fractures that can have devastating, lifelong consequences.
Osteoporosis, an advanced form of osteopenia, mainly affects women and frequently goes undiagnosed until a serious break or injury occurs. Specialists say that is precisely why early screening matters.
At the launch of the War On Osteoporosis campaign, screening services were already available in every NHS hospital in Scotland and Northern Ireland, but patients in England and Wales still lacked full coverage.
Before the 2024 General Election, the Government pledged to fund nationwide access to osteoporosis screening, yet campaigners say no meaningful action has followed.
The Mail on Sunday can now reveal that Wales has completed its rollout, with clinics operating in all hospitals, leaving England as the only UK home nation without full access.
The Welsh programme was led by Dr Inderpal Singh, a geriatrician and NHS Wales lead for bone health, who established the service with just over £1 million in funding and the recruitment of 24 additional staff.
Since the introduction of the clinics, known as fracture liaison services, osteoporosis diagnoses in Wales have increased by 191 per cent.
England is now the only UK home nation without full access to dedicated osteoporosis screening clinics (Fracture Liaison Services), sparking heavy criticism from campaign groups
The Royal Osteoporosis Society and The Mail on Sunday are urging Health Secretary Yvette Cooper to deliver on pre-election promises to fund nationwide screening by 2030
The Royal Osteoporosis Society says the achievement shows the Government could cheaply and quickly roll out these clinics across England.
‘Dr Singh and his colleagues have shown what can be achieved when a government backs its promises with action,’ says Ruth Wakeman, director of services at the Royal Osteoporosis Society.
‘In Wales, a relatively small investment in fracture liaison services has helped drive a 191 per cent increase in the number of patients identified through these services. Over the same period, England has seen an increase of 3 per cent, with progress effectively flatlining. Fracture liaison services are one of the smartest investments the NHS can make.
‘They prevent life-changing fractures, help people stay independent, reduce pressure on hospitals and social care and typically pay for themselves within 18 to 24 months.
‘Very few NHS interventions deliver such a big return for such modest cost.’
The Royal Osteoporosis Society estimates 2,500 people die every year in Britain from the debilitating effects of preventable hip fractures.
After the campaign by the MoS and Royal Osteoporosis Society was launched, then shadow health secretary Wes Streeting made a pre-election promise to end a postcode lottery and have a universal fracture liaison service by 2030. However, since then, the Government has failed to publish a plan to fund and build the clinics.
Dr Singh developed a computer program that identifies patients in Welsh hospitals who have suffered a fracture and refers them to a fracture liaison clinic.
He says this means that the system does not rely on busy clinicians referring patients themselves. Patients then undergo a bone-density test, called a DEXA scan.
The Royal Osteoporosis Society says that the new Health Secretary Yvette Cooper should take inspiration from Dr Singh’s work.
‘Yvette Cooper has inherited an important commitment that could transform care for millions of people, particularly women, who are disproportionately affected by osteoporosis,’ says Ms Wakeman. ‘Wales has shown what is possible with clear leadership, a practical plan and relatively little investment.
‘We look forward to working with her as the new Health Secretary to bring the same pace and purpose to England.’
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: ‘We remain committed to rolling out fracture liaison services by 2030, as set out in our 10 Year Health Plan.
‘We’re also taking action in the meantime by investing in 20 new state-of-the-art DEXA scanners across the country, building on the first wave of 13 last year.’
