Chancellor blocks proposal for Fracture Liaison Services to end suffering from osteoporosis

Following calls for change from 270 Parliamentarians, today’s Budget provided a golden opportunity for the Chancellor to launch a Transformation Fund for Fracture Liaison Services (FLS). The Chancellor’s decision to block the bid from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) will leave 90,000 people without the osteoporosis medication they need.

For now at least, the revolving door of fracture patients in our hospitals will continue, with 74,000 preventable fractures forecast over the next five years. 31,000 of those injuries will be life-threatening hip fractures, killing over 10,000 people within 12 months.

The Royal Osteoporosis Society (ROS) will continue making the case with the Sunday Express, whose “Better Bones” campaign has driven a step change in public awareness of what’s at stake. The Daily Mail has also joined the call for FLS with its “Make Britain Unbreakable” campaign, which is also calling for a step change in osteoporosis care.

We’re proud that our campaign to date has been backed by the Presidents of seven Royal Medical Colleges, 43 charities, and the CEOs of a wide range of business organisations and unions, including the CBI, British Retail Consortium, British Chambers of Commerce, UK Hospitality, Federation of Small Businesses, Unite, the TUC and the GMB.

We particularly welcome Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting’s comment that the “postcode lottery for FLS is unacceptable” and call for the Government to listen and change policy.

Chief Executive of the Royal Osteoporosis Society, Craig Jones, said:

“Just like the menopause was under-estimated five years ago, we’ll change social attitudes and show everyone just how unacceptable it is that 90,000 people every year are missing osteoporosis treatment. The breadth of Parliamentary support for change - plus the vast, diverse coalition of medical and business voices we’ve built - will ensure we get the result people need.  We’ll never give up until people with osteoporosis get the healthcare they deserve." 

To find out more about the campaign, visit our campaign with us page.