Thousands of Britons have suffered life-changing fractures as a result of the Health Secretary breaking his promise on vital new clinics, a leading charity has claimed.
An analysis by the Royal Osteoporosis Society suggests that the failure to roll out services that check patients for osteoporosis, known as fracture liaison services (FLS), has resulted in 17,000 preventable fractures.
This comes as a coalition of charities, business leaders and women’s groups sign an open letter urging for the delivery of FLS nationwide.
The letter has 43 signatories, including Age UK, Boots, Mumsnet and the Royal College of Physicians.
It says: ‘During the election, you committed to nationwide FLS by 2030 and said the delivery plan would be one of your first acts in government.
‘We welcomed your leadership. Almost two years on, urgency is now needed to publish that plan, with clear milestones and actions, so that full coverage by 2030 remains achievable.’
The Royal Osteoporosis Society estimates 2,500 people die every year from the debilitating effects of preventable hip fractures.
Following a campaign by The Mail on Sunday and the Royal Osteoporosis Society, Health Secretary Wes Streeting made a pre-election promise to end a postcode lottery and deliver universal fracture liaison services by 2030. It was confirmed in the NHS ten-year plan last summer.
Following a campaign by The Mail on Sunday and the Royal Osteoporosis Society, Health Secretary Wes Streeting made a pre-election promise to end a postcode lottery and deliver universal fracture liaison services by 2030
The Mail on Sunday’s campaign for universal fracture liaison services was adopted in the NHS ten-year plan last summer
But charities warn that time is running out to deliver on the pledge.
Craig Jones, of the Royal Osteoporosis Society, said: ‘Without a delivery plan, we are not on course to achieve the rollout ministers have committed to on 61 occasions in Parliament and the media. Delay costs lives: around 2,000 people die each year after hip fractures these clinics can prevent. We’re asking ministers to set out how and when they will implement the policy so we can end this needless harm.’
The Department of Health said last night: ‘The Government is committed to rolling out fracture liaison services by 2030, as set out in our Ten Year Health Plan. But 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.’
