Labour pledges to deliver 15,000 extra bone scans

LABOUR has pledged to ramp up the fight against osteoporosis by delivering an extra 15,000 scans to catch the disease early.

The Sunday Express scored a major victory last month when the Conservatives and Labour set the ambition of providing everyone in England with access to specialist fracture services.

Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting has now vowed to ensure that thousands more patients get access to cuttingedge “Dexa” scanners, which assess the strength of bones.

He said: “Thanks to the Sunday Express roaring Better Bones campaign, osteoporosis is no longer the silent disease and with a Labour government, patients will be diagnosed earto lier and treated faster. Over 37,000 patients are awaiting a Dexa scan and it is feared two thirds of people with the disease are missing out on treatment.

“Labour will ensure patients are seen quicker for bone scans, providing an extra 15,000 a year to beat the Tory backlog.”

The promise is part of Labour’s campaign pledge to deliver 40,000 extra appointments weekly – the equivalent of two million a year – in a bid to tackle waiting lists. It intends double the number of NHS CT scanners, which can also be used to detect osteoporosis, over the next half-decade as well.

Craig Jones of the Royal Osteoporosis Society called Mr Streeting’s commitment to deliver 15,000 more Dexa scans a year “extremely welcome”, but pointed out that some areas lack access to these scanners.

Warning that elderly patients can face a “three-hour round trip” to get a scan, he urged Mr Streeting to address “cold spots”.

Mr Jones added: “Last month’s commitment for fracture liaison services in every area by 2030 will mean tens of thousands of new patients being identified for scans, meaning a bigger boost to capacity is needed.

“These people are currently invisible to the system, but if this pledge is extended to cover them too, then we can eradicate the lion’s share of fractures.”