Labour MPs faced criticism this week for voting against a proposed law change that aimed to ensure the creation of 59 new specialist osteoporosis clinics across England by 2030. The vote was against a measure that would have required ministers to publish a plan for the rollout of these life-saving facilities.
Osteoporosis affects over 3.5 million people in the UK, with a significant majority being women, many of whom are diagnosed only after suffering a bone fracture. Charities argue that increased early detection through specialized clinics could save the National Health Service millions and prevent thousands of deaths annually. The Royal Osteoporosis Society (ROS) estimates that 2,500 people die each year from complications arising from preventable hip fractures.
Following a campaign by the ROS and The Mail on Sunday, Labour had previously pledged to eliminate geographical disparities in osteoporosis care by implementing fracture liaison services (FLS) nationwide by 2030. However, analysis indicates that since Labour came to power, there has been a net increase of only two such services. The ROS stated that 97 percent of existing services were inherited from the previous Conservative government and accused current ministers of using misleading data to suggest progress.
Health minister Baroness Merron contended during a House of Lords debate that the establishment of FLS in 23 of England's 25 integrated care board areas indicates the rollout is advancing. The ROS, however, expressed concern that decisions about future services might be left to local NHS bodies and calculated that at the current pace, the government's target would not be met until 2064, rather than the stated 2030 deadline.
Craig Jones, the outgoing chief executive of the ROS, commented, "Ministers have promised this rollout 85 times, but a pledge on paper saves no lives at all." Conservative health spokesman Dr. Caroline Johnson stated, "Patients deserve more than repeated promises without action. The Government should get delivery back on track so these vital services can diagnose and treat people before a fracture turns their life upside-down. As The Mail on Sunday has highlighted, every delay carries a real human cost."