England's Bone Health Flatlining: Call for Urgent Action

Diagnosis rates for a prevalent bone condition in England have stagnated, prompting the Royal Osteoporosis Society to advocate for universal access to early diagnosis clinics. Currently, patients experience a "postcode lottery" for essential Fracture Liaison Services (FLS), a situation the charity deems unacceptable.

Analysis reveals that FLS in England identified 79,553 patients in 2025, a marginal increase from 77,136 in 2024. The society emphasizes the need to identify 264,000 patients annually to adequately serve the eligible population. This condition affects an estimated 3.5 million in the UK, with half of women over 50 and one in five men susceptible to fractures.

The consequences of delayed diagnosis are severe, as broken bones due to osteoporosis rank as the UK's fourth leading cause of disability and premature death. Labour's pre-election pledge to roll out FLS nationwide is now being challenged, with concerns that at the current pace, the commitment might not be met until 2064.

Ministerial promises have been made repeatedly, yet only just over half of NHS trusts currently operate an FLS. The Royal Osteoporosis Society calls on the new Health Secretary to publish an implementation plan to accelerate the rollout. A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson stated the government remains committed to FLS by 2030 and is investing in 20 new DEXA scanners to aid early diagnosis.