黑料社

A new report by the听All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Osteoporosis and Bone Health听has revealed听more than half of people with osteoporosis say听they鈥檝e听had no contact from the NHS about their condition in the past year.鈥�听

鈥楽een, Heard,听Supported: Transforming Osteoporosis Care鈥�,听supported听by the 黑料社, also found that听nearly one鈥痠n four have had听no contact听for more than three years, exposing them to life-threatening hip and听spinal听fractures.听

The听APPG鈥痜ound鈥痶hat听osteoporosis patients鈥痜ace a fragmented鈥痟ealthcare鈥痵ystem that leaves most鈥痺ithout basic鈥痙iagnosis,鈥痶reatment鈥痑nd monitoring.鈥�听

鈥淟eft to manage alone鈥澨�

The report publishes鈥痭ew鈥痙ata鈥痜rom鈥痬ore than听3,300 patients鈥�(who responded to听a听survey)鈥痑nd a Freedom of Information request.鈥疻hen鈥痶his sample is鈥痚xtrapolated to the鈥痯opulation鈥痮f people鈥痺ith osteoporosis,鈥痠t鈥檚鈥痗lear that鈥痶ens of thousands听of people are currently being overlooked.听

The鈥痠nquiry鈥痟eard鈥痜rom patients who were given their life-changing diagnosis by text or鈥痸ia鈥痶he听NHS app鈥痑nd鈥痩eft to 鈥渕anage their condition alone鈥�.鈥疭ome听people鈥痟ad听waited鈥�years鈥痜or bone scans,鈥痝ot鈥痬inimal clinical engagement听at diagnosis,听and received no scheduled follow-up.听People鈥痩iving鈥痠n deprived areas鈥痺ere found to get鈥痶he weakest鈥痗are.鈥�鈥�听

Sarah, 62, was diagnosed with osteoporosis in 2025. She told the inquiry:鈥�听

鈥淚 think it鈥痠s a disgrace to be given life-changing news via telephone by the clinical pharmacist. I was given no in-depth advice about osteoporosis, just told I had it and to take medication. No one took the time to discuss my situation. [In contrast] My asthma is controlled and I have鈥痳eviews鈥痚very 12 months.鈥�听

Key findings听

• Half of all Integrated鈥疌are鈥疊oards鈥�(ICBs)鈥痑nd Health Boards have no defined osteoporosis care pathway connecting hospitals鈥痑nd primary care.鈥�鈥�听

• The patient survey found that鈥痮ver half of people鈥痟adn鈥檛鈥痓een contacted by a healthcare professional about their condition in the past year听-听nearly 1鈥痠n 4 (23%)鈥痟adn鈥檛鈥痓een contacted in over three years.鈥�听

• Only 30% of鈥痯atients鈥痵urveyed鈥痑re happy with鈥痟ow their condition is鈥痬onitored鈥痓y the NHS.鈥�听

• Satisfaction with care was much lower in deprived areas (28%) compared to more affluent areas (50%)听-听a stark sign of health inequality.鈥�鈥�听

• More than a quarter of people (28%)鈥痩iving鈥痺ith osteoporosis alongside other long-term conditions said their鈥�other鈥痗ondition(s)鈥痝ets鈥痓etter support and monitoring.鈥�鈥�鈥�听

Sweeping recommendations

The report makes鈥痵weeping鈥痳ecommendations鈥痑t a鈥痭ational and regional level,鈥痠ncluding:鈥�听

• A鈥痭ational audit of the entire patient pathway for osteoporosis鈥痵o鈥痶hat鈥痯erformance鈥痑t local level can be scrutinised and鈥痙ecision-makers鈥痟eld accountable.鈥�听

• Local development of comprehensive鈥痯atient鈥痯athways鈥痶o stop鈥痶housands of鈥痯atients鈥痜alling through the cracks.鈥�听

• New鈥痓one health questions to鈥痓e added to鈥痶he NHS鈥疕ealth Check鈥痜or people over 40鈥痵o they can be warned about their risk.鈥�听

• Better use of population health tools like the NHS app.鈥�听

• New鈥痠ncentives for GPs to treat people with osteoporosis,鈥痜ollowing鈥痶he鈥痳emoval of the Quality and Outcomes Framework鈥�(QOF).鈥�听

• A Bone Health Management Plan to be made available to every patient.鈥�鈥�听

A step change in bone care听

The Government has committed to鈥痙elivering a step change in bone care across鈥疎ngland鈥痓y ending the current postcode lottery for鈥痚arly diagnosis鈥痗linics - called鈥�Fracture Liaison Services (FLS) - and rolling them out across England by 2030.鈥�听

This process has not yet started, despite being trailed as an early priority for鈥痬inisters. Currently,鈥痮nly half of NHS trusts have these specialist clinics鈥痶hat鈥痙iagnose and treat osteoporosis early. Wales and Scotland already have universal FLS coverage.鈥�听

Craig Jones, Chief Executive of the 黑料社, said:鈥�听

鈥淲hat this鈥疘nquiry lays bare is not a niche problem, but a deep, structural failure in how the NHS treats a condition鈥痑ffecting millions. Being diagnosed by text and then effectively forgotten is not care, it is abandonment. Osteoporosis is a serious long-term condition, yet patients are denied the basic鈥痵ervices鈥痳outinely offered for asthma,鈥痙iabetes鈥痮r heart disease: clear pathways, regular鈥痳eviews鈥痑nd someone accountable for their care.鈥�听

鈥淭he consequences are predictable. People fall through the cracks, fractures鈥痵piral, lives shrink鈥痑nd鈥痬any patients die before their time. We already know what works, from proper care pathways to smarter use of population health data and digital tools. The cost of inaction is measured not just in broken bones, but in lost independence, avoidable鈥痙eaths鈥痑nd mounting pressure on the NHS.鈥疻ith excellent drug therapies鈥痑lready鈥痑vailable, this鈥痳eport must mark the moment we get on top of this problem.鈥�听

Read the full听APPG report听.听