Establishing or improving an FLS requires a clear plan, strong leadership and engagement across the health system. This section outlines the early steps needed to build a credible, well-structured case for investment.
1. Funding feasibility
Understanding your funding environment early will help you shape a realistic and timely proposal.
Consider:
Which funding routes are available locally, regionally or nationally
Commissioning priorities within your local health system or commissioning structure
Key financial planning and budget cycles
Submission deadlines for business cases
Why this matters:
Clarity on feasibility allows you to build your timeline, set expectations, and ensure your proposal lands at the right moment.
2. Identify a clinical champion
A successful FLS needs clear clinical leadership. This may be you or another clinician committed to driving the project forward.
A strong clinical champion:
Provides expert leadership and credibility
Advocates for the service with colleagues and senior leaders
Keeps momentum through planning and approvals
Why this matters:
Clinical champions play a critical role in shaping the vision and maintaining engagement.
3. Secure senior buy‑in
Executive support is essential for prioritisation, resourcing and successful decision‑making.
Actions to take:
Identify the appropriate executive sponsor or senior responsible owner for your health system
Initiate early conversations about the benefits of FLS
Align your case with local, regional and national priorities
Highlight quality improvements, safety gains and cost savings
Why this matters:
Senior sponsorship helps accelerate progress and reinforces organisational commitment.
4. Establish the project team
Your team should include:
A named lead responsible for drafting the business case
Clinical representatives across fracture, falls and osteoporosis pathways
Operational and managerial colleagues
Administrative or project management support
Finance and business planning expertise
Data, information and IT or digital expertise
Primary Care
Patient or lived experience representation; Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE)
Why this matters:
Clear roles and responsibilities will ensure smooth progress throughout development
Patient or lived experience presence will authentically bring to life the impact on a personal level. The patient is the purpose, and their story is important
5. Build your project plan
A structured project plan helps you stay on track and communicate progress.
Include:
A target submission date for the business case
Key milestones for drafting, consultation and approval
Alignment with your organisation’s financial and planning cycles
Key risks
Dependencies and governance arrangements
Regular review dates
Why this matters:
Demonstrating a clear pathway from idea to decision strengthens confidence in the proposal.
6. Create a stakeholder reference group
Engaging a broad range of voices ensures your service is grounded in real-world needs and experiences. The reference group should complement the core project team, provide structured feedback at agreed intervals and support key design decisions.
Include:
People with lived experience of fractures or osteoporosis
Clinicians working in fracture care, falls prevention and bone health
Operational teams involved across the pathway
Primary, secondary and community care partners
Why this matters:
Involving people with lived experience and colleagues across the fracture-prevention pathway helps identify gaps, opportunities and dependencies, and strengthens system-wide alignment.
