Impact of the Collaboration Between the Royal Osteoporosis Society and the National Clinical Lead for Bone Health in Wales

The ROS has long championed the development of Fracture Liaison Services (FLS) across the UK. A major milestone for Wales came in 2020, when the Welsh Government appointed Dr Inder Singh as the National Clinical Lead for Bone Health. In this role, he established the National FLS Development and Quality Assurance Group, aimed at improving osteoporosis care and reducing secondary fractures across Wales. This national leadership position has been pivotal, and ROS has strongly welcomed and supported its establishment.

ROS has provided enhanced and consistent support to Wales, with a dedicated representative actively contributing to all business and quality assurance meetings. The Society’s ongoing engagement particularly through contributions to both the Bone Health Clinical Implementation Network and the FLS Development and Quality Assurance Group has been greatly valued by the Welsh Government. Their expertise and partnership continue to play an instrumental role in strengthening clinical services, expanding access to diagnostics, and embedding robust quality monitoring.

Over the past five years, this collaboration has delivered significant impacts.

• Patient involvement: ROS has worked with people living with osteoporosis in Wales to share lived experiences, including patient stories showcased at the 2022 and 2024 Wales FLS Conferences.
• Quality improvement: The Society supported the development of the Quality Statement for Osteoporosis and Bone Health, helping to set clear standards for care delivery across Wales.
• Advocacy success: ROS played a leading role in advocating for the approval of teriparatide for use in men in Wales, marking an important step towards equitable and effective treatment for all individuals affected by osteoporosis.
• Innovation in prevention: ROS is currently supporting the National Clinical Lead in developing community health pathways aligned with the Society’s principles of primary fracture prevention.
• System-level change: The Society has endorsed the proposal to include FLS Key Performance Indicators within the NHS Wales Planning Framework, helping to ensure fracture prevention remains a national priority.

This strong and evolving partnership between ROS and the National Clinical Lead continues to drive meaningful progress in bone health, improving outcomes for patients and strengthening services across Wales.

Craig Jones, ROS Chief Exec said:

"We are delighted to have the continued support of the Welsh Government as we work to improve osteoporosis care and bone health across Wales. We are equally grateful to NHS Wales, the Bevan Commission, our third sector partners, key stakeholders, a range of Welsh organisations, and most importantly, our patients and all those living with osteoporosis.

"The third National FLS conference brings together NHS Wales, the Royal Osteoporosis Society, the Bevan Commission, third sector partners, and key stakeholders to advance osteoporosis care and bone health across Wales. Building on the success of previous national FLS conferences and the rollout of nationwide services, Wales has made significant progress, identifying more than 9,000 fragility fracture patients in 2025 and aiming to reach 11,000 in 2026. This work underpins national commitments to achieve over 19,000 identified patients annually and meet the 80/50/80 ROS FLS Standards by 2030."

Dr Inder Singh, National Clinical Lead said:

"I am pleased to reflect on the success of our previous national FLS conferences, held in 2022 and 2024. Both conferences were extremely well attended, attracting more than 200 delegates and featuring contributions from esteemed national speakers. These events played a pivotal role in supporting the Ministerial commitment in 2023 to implement FLS across Wales, culminating in the successful national rollout of Fracture Liaison Services across Wales.

"Our 2024 conference also directly informed the development of the Quality Statement for Osteoporosis and Bone Health (6 December 2024)."It is my great pleasure to share that Welsh Government is supporting the Third National FLS Conference and Bone Health Promotion Event, which will take place on 11 June 2026 at the ICC Wales, Newport. All of these efforts contribute to our overarching objective: to deliver the commitment set out in the Written Statement: Quality Statement for Osteoporosis and Bone Health (6 December 2024).

"I would like to express my sincere thanks to the Royal Osteoporosis Society for their invaluable partnership, continued support, and unwavering commitment to achieving these shared ambitions.”