Osteoporosis: Diagnosis
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to increase early diagnosis rates for osteoporosis.
Answered by Karin Smyth
There are resources in place to help support healthcare professionals in the early diagnosis of osteoporosis, such as the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s clinical knowledge summary on osteoporosis and the prevention of fragility fractures.
The Royal College of General Practitioners also has an e-learning module for general practitioners on the diagnosis and management of osteoporosis, developed in collaboration with the Royal Osteoporosis Society, which is designed to support the early diagnosis of osteoporosis by highlighting which groups are at higher risk of osteoporosis and fragility fractures.
On 1 March, the Government announced funding for 20 new bone density, or DEXA, scanners across England, supported by £2.4 million of investment. Tens of thousands of patients will benefit from faster access to bone scans as a result, helping to ensure that people with bone conditions, such as osteoporosis, get diagnosed earlier.
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