To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Merron on 6 July (HL Deb col 2), how many Fracture Liaison Services are there between the 23 reconfigured Integrated Care Boards which have these services; how many of those services were operating before July 2024; and how many have...

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Merron on 6 July (HL Deb col 2), how many Fracture Liaison Services are there between the 23 reconfigured Integrated Care Boards which have these services; how many of those services were operating before July 2024; and how many have...

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Merron on 6 July (HL Deb cols 2–3), how many Fracture Liaison Services were operating in England in (1) 2023, (2) 2024, and (3) 2025; how many were operating on the latest date for which figures are available; and what...

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Merron on 6 July (HL Deb cols 2–3), how many Fracture Liaison Services were operating in England in (1) 2023, (2) 2024, and (3) 2025; how many were operating on the latest date for which figures are available; and what...

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Merron on 6 July (HL Deb cols 2–3), how many patients were identified by, assessed by and commenced on treatment through Fracture Liaison Services in England in (1) 2023, (2) 2024, and (3) 2025; and what the equivalent figures...

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Merron on 6 July (HL Deb cols 2–3), how many patients were identified by, assessed by and commenced on treatment through Fracture Liaison Services in England in (1) 2023, (2) 2024, and (3) 2025; and what the equivalent figures...

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Merron on 6 July (HL Deb cols 2-3), how many additional Fracture Liaison Services have become operational since July 2024; and how many additional patients have been identified, assessed or treated by those services as a result.

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Merron on 6 July (HL Deb cols 2-3), how many additional Fracture Liaison Services have become operational since July 2024; and how many additional patients have been identified, assessed or treated by those services as a result.

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Merron on 6 July (HL Deb cols 2–3), whether a reconfigured integrated care board group may be classified as having completed rollout of Fracture Liaison Services solely because it contains a service that pre-dated the reconfiguration; and, if so,...

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Merron on 6 July (HL Deb cols 2–3), whether a reconfigured integrated care board group may be classified as having completed rollout of Fracture Liaison Services solely because it contains a service that pre-dated the reconfiguration; and, if so,...

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Merron on 6 July (HL Deb col 2), how many Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) do not have a fracture liaison service in each of the NHS hospitals within the ICB.

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Merron on 6 July (HL Deb col 2), how many Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) do not have a fracture liaison service in each of the NHS hospitals within the ICB.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress is being made towards establishing Fracture Liaison Services across all NHS trusts by 2030.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress is being made towards establishing Fracture Liaison Services across all NHS trusts by 2030.

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Merron on 6 July (HL Deb cols 2–3), what integrated care board groups do not have at least one fracture liaison service.

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Merron on 6 July (HL Deb cols 2–3), what integrated care board groups do not have at least one fracture liaison service.

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Merron on 6 July (HL Deb cols. 2–4), whether they consider the cited figure that 23 out of 25 reconfigured integrated care board groups having at least one fracture liaison service represents an increase in provision since July 2024; and...

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Merron on 6 July (HL Deb cols. 2–4), whether they consider the cited figure that 23 out of 25 reconfigured integrated care board groups having at least one fracture liaison service represents an increase in provision since July 2024; and...

New clause 31 debated and withdrawn. New clause 32 debated and negatived on division (2 to 9). New clause 36, discussed with new clause 37, debated and withdrawn. New clause 38 debated and negatived on division (4 to 9). New clause 40 debated and negatived on division (4 to 9). New clause 41 debated and negatived on division (3 to 9). New clause 42 negatived on division (5 to 9). New clause 44 negatived on division (3 to 9). New clause 45 negatived on division (3 to 9). New clause 46, discussed with new clause 75, debated and negatived on division (5 to 9). New clause 47 debated and negatived on division (5 to 9). New clause 48, debated with new clauses 53, 54, 65 and 100, debated and negatived on division (5 to 9). New clause 49 debated and negatived on division (2 to 9). New clause 50 under consideration.

New clause 31 debated and withdrawn. New clause 32 debated and negatived on division (2 to 9). New clause 36, discussed with new clause 37, debated and withdrawn. New clause 38 debated and negatived on division (4 to 9). New clause 40 debated and negatived on division (4 to 9)....

To ask His Majesty's Government what governance and monitoring arrangements are in place for delivering their commitment to universal fracture liaison service coverage in England by 2030; and whether those arrangements include implementation milestones, target dates and progress reporting.

To ask His Majesty's Government what governance and monitoring arrangements are in place for delivering their commitment to universal fracture liaison service coverage in England by 2030; and whether those arrangements include implementation milestones, target dates and progress reporting.

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Merron on 6 July (HL Deb col 1), which two newly reconfigured Integrated Care Board (ICB) areas do not currently have a Fracture Liaison Service (FLS); whether the statement that 23 of the 25 newly reconfigured ICB areas have at least...

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Baroness Merron on 6 July (HL Deb col 1), which two newly reconfigured Integrated Care Board (ICB) areas do not currently have a Fracture Liaison Service (FLS); whether the statement that 23 of the 25 newly reconfigured ICB areas have at least...

The noble Lord does not need to apologise for raising this extremely important matter. I am grateful for his campaigning on this, as I am to other noble Lords. There has been a lot of progress. In answer to his first question, I believe that it is possible, not least because all but two ICBs in the new, reconfigured groups have fracture liaison services already, with some having more than one. With respect to his specific request, as with other policies, I cannot give him exactly what he asks for, but I have already referred to some of the Government’s actions. We are looking, through the UK National Screening Committee, at screening women for osteoporosis, and a public consultation is about to start. We are cutting waiting times, and we have expanded community diagnostic centres and DEXA scanners. These, along with a whole range of other measures, show real commitment to tackling the matter that the noble Lord rightly raises, which affects lives and costs lives.

The noble Lord does not need to apologise for raising this extremely important matter. I am grateful for his campaigning on this, as I am to other noble Lords. There has been a lot of progress. In answer to his first question, I believe that it is possible, not least because all but two ICBs in the new, reconfigured groups have fracture liaison services already, with some having more than one. With respect to his specific request, as with other policies, I cannot give him exactly what he asks for, but I have already referred to some of the Government’s actions. We are looking, through the UK National Screening Committee, at screening women for osteoporosis, and a public consultation is about to start. We are cutting waiting times, and we have expanded community diagnostic centres and DEXA scanners. These, along with a whole range of other measures, show real commitment to tackling the matter that the noble Lord rightly raises, which affects lives and costs lives.

My Lords, I apologise to the Minister for bringing her back yet again to this issue. However, it is now two years since the former Secretary of State said that a national fracture liaison service rollout would be one of the Government’s first actions in office. Two years on, we are still waiting for something—for anything—to happen, and people have died as a result. I have two questions for the Minister. First, does she really believe, in the light of all the evidence she has been given, that it is still possible to achieve universal coverage by 2030? Secondly, if she does, do the Government have funding to make it happen and a timetable and implementation plan which she will publish? If the answer to either of those questions is no, would it not be better to be honest and say that the Government have dropped their commitment?

My Lords, I apologise to the Minister for bringing her back yet again to this issue. However, it is now two years since the former Secretary of State said that a national fracture liaison service rollout would be one of the Government’s first actions in office. Two years on, we are still waiting for something—for anything—to happen, and people have died as a result. I have two questions for the Minister. First, does she really believe, in the light of all the evidence she has been given, that it is still possible to achieve universal coverage by 2030? Secondly, if she does, do the Government have funding to make it happen and a timetable and implementation plan which she will publish? If the answer to either of those questions is no, would it not be better to be honest and say that the Government have dropped their commitment?

My Lords, people from deprived areas have a 25% higher risk of fractures, spend longer in hospital recovering and die in greater numbers after hip fractures. The rollout of fracture liaison services is important to help tackle health inequalities. The Minister mentioned 2030, but how can this be rolled out faster to make sure that we help all these communities?

My Lords, people from deprived areas have a 25% higher risk of fractures, spend longer in hospital recovering and die in greater numbers after hip fractures. The rollout of fracture liaison services is important to help tackle health inequalities. The Minister mentioned 2030, but how can this be rolled out faster to make sure that we help all these communities?

My Lords, I declare an interest as a patron of Day One Trauma Support and as someone with a relatively high knowledge of fractures. How does the Minister expect the new fracture liaison services to embed charities and other organisations on a fully funded basis, as they are vital in working alongside the health service to make sure that rehabilitation goes smoothly and that people from all backgrounds have the best chance of recovery success?

My Lords, I declare an interest as a patron of Day One Trauma Support and as someone with a relatively high knowledge of fractures. How does the Minister expect the new fracture liaison services to embed charities and other organisations on a fully funded basis, as they are vital in working alongside the health service to make sure that rehabilitation goes smoothly and that people from all backgrounds have the best chance of recovery success?

That is absolutely key, as the noble Baroness says. We have to look at the way that we are working. I emphasise again that we are looking at how we can roll out the modern service framework, which will really push this forward. That will involve full consultation with the groups that the noble Baroness rightly mentioned. She spoke about funding. I cannot give specifics without knowing them, but we will be further delivering this already improved service, as well as taking other supportive actions. These include asking local authorities to include menopause in the NHS health check later this year, which will help greatly with earlier identification.

That is absolutely key, as the noble Baroness says. We have to look at the way that we are working. I emphasise again that we are looking at how we can roll out the modern service framework, which will really push this forward. That will involve full consultation with the groups that the noble Baroness rightly mentioned. She spoke about funding. I cannot give specifics without knowing them, but we will be further delivering this already improved service, as well as taking other supportive actions. These include asking local authorities to include menopause in the NHS health check later this year, which will help greatly with earlier identification.

My Lords, the noble Lord asks a very important Question. Can the National Health Service make sure that there is a checklist for all fractures, just as an aircraft pilot does when he is taking off? There are numerous examples in the NHS—I speak from personal experience—of patients not being screened for bacteria before they go down to theatre. That should be a routine check. Further, it is very common for patients to be discharged from hospital when there is a lack of liaison between the hospital and local services. Sometimes, a wound may not be dressed for several days until somebody visits, where there is a risk of bone infection. This is a very serious and common problem.

My Lords, the noble Lord asks a very important Question. Can the National Health Service make sure that there is a checklist for all fractures, just as an aircraft pilot does when he is taking off? There are numerous examples in the NHS—I speak from personal experience—of patients not being screened for bacteria before they go down to theatre. That should be a routine check. Further, it is very common for patients to be discharged from hospital when there is a lack of liaison between the hospital and local services. Sometimes, a wound may not be dressed for several days until somebody visits, where there is a risk of bone infection. This is a very serious and common problem.

I understand my noble friend’s point. He referred to checklists. Requirements are in place; I believe he is suggesting that they are not always followed, so I will certainly pick that up. As we move towards a neighbourhood health service, I feel ever more confident that we will attain the right standard of care, along with cutting waiting times. For example, we will make sure that, by 2028-29, for the first time, 80% of community health service activity should take place within 18 weeks. That has not been the case thus far.

I understand my noble friend’s point. He referred to checklists. Requirements are in place; I believe he is suggesting that they are not always followed, so I will certainly pick that up. As we move towards a neighbourhood health service, I feel ever more confident that we will attain the right standard of care, along with cutting waiting times. For example, we will make sure that, by 2028-29, for the first time, 80% of community health service activity should take place within 18 weeks. That has not been the case thus far.

My Lords, there seems to be a problem for men suffering from prostate cancer, who are also likely to get osteoporosis. Last week, my noble friend and I heard from a consultant neurologist who said that there is not a joined-up approach going back to primary care. The GP should be aware that these people are more likely to have

fractures, but they are quite often having these fractures without having been told that that is a possibility, and they are not then getting the care that they need. We need a bit more joined-up thinking, if that is possible.

My Lords, there seems to be a problem for men suffering from prostate cancer, who are also likely to get osteoporosis. Last week, my noble friend and I heard from a consultant neurologist who said that there is not a joined-up approach going back to primary care. The GP should be aware that these people are more likely to have

fractures, but they are quite often having these fractures without having been told that that is a possibility, and they are not then getting the care that they need. We need a bit more joined-up thinking, if that is possible.