Scanners to detect the ‘silent killer’ of osteoporosis are being rolled out however campaigners need the Well being Secretary to take a easy step to save lots of lives
Well being Secretary Wes Streeting is going through calls to make sure folks do not miss out on life-saving assist (Picture: Wiktor Szymanowicz/Future Publis)
Well being Secretary Wes Streeting saluted the Sunday Categorical’s Higher Bones marketing campaign as he introduced the roll-out of 20 new bone scanners to make sure tens of hundreds of sufferers are handled for osteoporosis at an earlier stage. Campaigners welcomed the brand new know-how however urged him to go additional and ship on his pre-election pledge to finish a postcode lottery which implies round half of NHS trusts lack primary “fracture liaison companies” to test for the possibly deadly illness when folks first present up with a break.
Mr Streeting insisted the state of affairs “has to vary” as he introduced the brand new Dexa scanners, which the Division of Well being and Social Care describes because the “gold commonplace for diagnosing osteoporosis and assessing fracture threat”.
He stated: “Too many ladies are struggling painful, preventable fractures as a result of osteoporosis is identified too late. That has to vary. These new scanners will assist hundreds of sufferers get examined sooner, begin remedy earlier and keep away from the trauma of life-changing breaks. We’re reducing ready occasions and modernising the NHS so it really works for sufferers – stopping sickness the place we are able to, and delivering care quicker for those who want it most. I’m grateful to campaigners and to the Sunday Categorical for championing this subject and supporting motion to enhance bone well being companies.”
Lord Black, who co-chairs a cross-party group on osteoporosis and bone well being, stated: “New Dexa scanners are welcome. However these machines scan, they don’t deal with. “With out the correct follow-up companies, together with treatment, thousands and thousands of individuals will proceed to fall by the cracks. Greater than two million folks throughout the UK are at present missed for remedy and left weak to devastating fractures. Which means avoidable hospital admissions, misplaced independence and, in too many circumstances, early dying.”
He pressed for a “funded, time-bound nationwide rollout plan for fracture liaison companies”.
Shadow Well being Secretary Stuart Andrew stated: “A scan doesn’t forestall the subsequent fracture; a fracture liaison service does. Prognosis with out remedy isn’t prevention.”
The funding covers six additional scanners to develop capability and 14 alternative machines. It follows the announcement of 13 scanners final yr; greater than 16,000 additional scanners had been delivered in 2025 in comparison with the earlier yr.
Craig Jones of the Royal Osteoporisis Society desires an motion plan revealed to finish postcode lottery (Picture: -) The most recent politics information – straight from our workforce in Westminster Subscribe Invalid e mail
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Lesley Kay, the NHS nationwide medical director for musculoskeletal situations, stated: “Osteoporosis and different bone situations can have a devastating impact on sufferers, so enhancing entry to this specialist know-how will make an actual distinction to folks’s lives.”
Craig Jones, chief govt of the Royal Osteoporosis Society, welcomed the brand new scanners, saying: “To make sure each scan results in efficient remedy and fracture prevention, it should now be important to publish the implementation plan for nationwide fracture liaison companies, so sufferers can transfer seamlessly from prognosis to care.”
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