Wales to fund bone clinics in victory for our crusade

MORE than £1million will be invested in fracture clinics inwales in a victory for the Sunday Express Better Bones campaign.

The Welsh Government has announced the cash injection for Fracture Liaison Services to provide uniform help for all osteoporosis sufferers by September.

The move by the devolved administration will add pressure on Whitehall chiefs to ensure the clinics are offered in all NHS trusts across England.

The Better Bones campaign, in collaboration with the Royal Osteoporosis Society, is calling on the Government to provide £30million a year for better access and improved treatment for the devastating brittle bone condition nationwide. A central element is the fracture liaison services to end the current “postcode lottery” faced by over 50s.

Currently just 57 per cent of the eligible English population have access, compared to 100 per cent in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Wales has now announced it will have 100 per cent access to the bone clinics by September and has appointed Dr Inder Singh as its “fracture tsar”.

Eluned Morgan, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, unveiled a Transformation Fund in Wales on Thursday to ensure it meets the deadline in five months’ time.

In another important win, Baroness Morgan also set targets for all fracture liaison services to meet the national quality standards designed by the ROS.

Craig Jones, the charity’s chief executive, said: “Baroness Morgan has recognised that leadership from government is needed to light the spark and get these life-saving services set up.

“This shows how a modest Transformation Fund for the first couple of years can pump-prime the set-up of these crucial services.

“When they pay off in spades, local commissioners will be falling over themselves to keep them running.

“Now we need the same for patients who are being needlessly exposed to lifethreatening fractures in England.”

Baroness Morgan said: “I’m pleased to announce £1million to roll-out FLS to more parts of Wales, as part of our plans to have 100 per cent coverage by the end of September.

“This pioneering new service will help prevent fractures and bone breaks in older people and ensure everyone over 50, who does fracture or break a bone, has their bone health checked by a team of specialists.

“Health boards are helping people make changes to their lifestyle, which can help prevent conditions such as osteoporosis and arthritis from getting worse or prevent fractures in the future.”

‘This pioneering new service will help prevent fractures in older people’ BARONESS MORGAN