Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, (a) what steps his Department is taking to deliver a national roll out of Fracture Liaison Services in England; (b) if he will publish a timetable for achieving full coverage; and (c) what assessment he has made of the impact of Fracture Liaison Services on reducing preventable hip fractures and associated mortality.

Our 10-Year Health Plan committed to rolling out Fracture Liaison Services across every part of the country by 2030. Integrated care boards (ICBs) remain well-placed to make decisions according to local need. The renewed Women’s Health Strategy sets an expectation that ICBs prioritise community-based models when commissioning new fracture prevention services.

The Department has not made a specific assessment of the impact of Fracture Liaison Services on reducing preventable hip fractures and associated mortality. There is a broad evidence base for the benefits of Fracture Liaison Services. For example, there is evidence that they can reduce the risk of refracture by up to 40%, depending on the fracture type and population considered, with further information available at the following link:

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4767862/

Greater prevention would contribute to avoiding debilitating further consequences, including pain, loss of independence, and increased risk of morbidity and mortality. Where available, evidence on the potential impacts will be taken into consideration in future policy development.