Scottish Government announces autumn 2024 launch for Fracture Liaison Service audit

The Royal Osteoporosis Society (ROS) is delighted to announce a major victory in our campaign for better osteoporosis care in Scotland. Following a year of persistent advocacy, the Scottish Government has committed to implementing a Fracture Liaison Service (FLS) audit in autumn 2024. This decision marks a significant step forward in addressing the gaps in osteoporosis care across the country.

The announcement from the Scottish Government followed a joint letter from 27 cross-party MSPs to the Minister, urging immediate action to implement the audit. In a letter announcing the autumn 2024 date, the Scottish Government reiterated its recognition of the vital role that FLSs play in diagnosing, assessing, and treating individuals at high risk of fractures. The commitment follows an initial announcement in March 2023.

The introduction of this audit will provide the same level of transparency on performance data for Scottish FLSs that is currently available in England and Wales through the Fracture Liaison Service Database (FLS-DB). Until now, no such audit has existed in Scotland. The audit will help identify and address under-resourced and under-performing FLSs, ensuring that more patients receive timely and effective treatment.

FLS is the world standard for identifying people who have suffered a fracture and facilitating a treatment plan. While Scotland has nominally had 100% FLS coverage of the eligible population, the lack of a public audit has masked serious gaps in performance, resulting in missed opportunities to prevent fractures. The audit will also allow services to learn from their own performance and that of their neighbours.

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

“We’re thrilled that the Scottish Government has committed to this new audit. Increased transparency and accountability will naturally lead to better treatment for osteoporosis patients in Scotland. Thanks to the support of our dedicated advocates, particularly the 27 MSPs who recently wrote to the Minister, we’re on a path to closing the osteoporosis care gap in Scotland. We look forward to collaborating with the Scottish Government to ensure the audit’s success.”