Fracture Liaison Services: National Coverage

Baroness Murphy Excerpts

Tuesday 27th October 2026 Lords Chamber

Asked by

[Baroness Murphy]

To ask His Majesty’s Government what progress they have made in developing a delivery plan to achieve national coverage of fracture liaison services in England by 2030.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health and Social Care (Baroness Merron) (Lab)]

My Lords, the 10-year health plan committed to rolling out fracture liaison services by 2030, and it outlines our vision for a more devolved health service. The 10-year health plan and, more recently, the renewed women’s health strategy highlight community-based models of fracture prevention services. Integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning these services and are best placed to determine how they should be delivered to meet local need, while supporting overall development of fracture prevention outcomes.

[Baroness Murphy (CB)]

My Lords, I am very aware that the Minister has had this Question in almost identical wording, and I think there is another one soon to come from somebody else. So I will move away, if I may, and ask: does the Minister agree that the importance of these fracture liaison services is not simply to pick up fractures of the long bones, which are associated with osteoporosis, and to treat them—the fundamental purpose of the liaison service—but to establish connections between orthopaedic surgeons and geriatric medicine, so that, with other problems such as, for example, older people not getting their operations quick enough after a fracture, which Dr Mark Porter mentioned in the Times today, it will speed up the total relationship between the two departments and get better access to care for frail older people? Does the Minister agree that that is the most vital thing about these liaison services?

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

I agree with the noble Baroness that that is one of the most important functions, because of course prevention and recovery are also key. As I have mentioned, ICBs are focused on providing services closer to home. Also, we are working with NHS England so that we can improve frailty services in acute settings as a priority, including through same-day emergency care and through comprehensive geriatric assessments.