𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has blamed tight finances when challenged why he has not delivered on his promise to end the postcode lottery which results in people across the nation missing out on potentially life-saving anti-osteoporosis care. The Labour rising star pledged before the election to roll out services which would test people for the bone disease the first time they turn up with a fracture. But campaigners are disappointed at the lack of progress and the absence of a detailed plan.

When put on the spot at the Labour conference by a Royal Osteoporosis Society (ROS) volunteer, he said: “You know what the challenge will be; it’s a resource constraint. I know that when I say that you will say, ‘Come on, this is an invest to save. You invest money, you save money. It’s the right care in the right place at the right time’.

“I absolutely get that, which is why we’re absolutely committed to the roll-out. We want to work with you guys to build the plan that we need.

“Like lots of invest to save initiatives, the investment comes upfront, and the savings follow, that’s always the pinch point that we have. And I’m just being honest about some of those choices and trade-offs.”

Craig Jones, the president of ROS, warned of the consequences of further delay.

He said: “Wes Streeting has offered to work with us to develop a plan for the roll-out. We dearly want to take him up on that offer, so we can have a plan which makes progress.

“We’re worried about getting to Christmas without one, because another year without these clinics will mean the deaths of another 2,500 people following fractures that could easily have been prevented”.

The charity warns that half of women over 50 will break bones because of osteoporosis, stating that “fractures are the fourth worst driver of disability and premature death in Britain”. It insists “safe, effective medications exist” but says “two-thirds of osteoporosis patients are missing treatment”.

It blames the absence of so-called “fracture liaison services” in half of NHS Trusts for “tens of thousands of people” a year missing out on treatment.

However, ROS is encouraged by the appointment of Bishop of London Sarah Mullally as Archbishop of Canterbury-designate. She has campaigned for the roll-out of the services.

Last year in a House of Lords debate she said: “Fracture liaison services demonstrate genuine value for money [and] the Government should be keen to recognise and promote this. It is through services such as these that the shift from sickness to prevention and from hospital to community will happen.

“Evidence shows that for every pound spent on a fracture liaison service, £3.26 is saved.”