The ROS launches national campaign to end postcode lottery for osteoporosis care and treatment
The Royal Osteoporosis Society (ROS) launched a national petition calling for 100% Fracture Liaison Service (FLS) coverage in both England and Wales. This is part of a broader national campaign following a report and recommendations from the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Osteoporosis and Bone Health.
The APPG on Osteoporosis and Bone Health launched on 25 March 2021 to raise awareness of osteoporosis and the importance of bone health among Parliamentarians and NHS leaders.
As its first act, the APPG launched an inquiry into the provision of Fracture Liaison Services (FLS) – the gold standard for systematically identifying, accessing, and treating anyone who breaks a bone after age 50. As part of the inquiry, a Freedom of Information request was sent to all NHS Trusts to find out if they provide an FLS last summer.
Key data collected by the APPG Inquiry revealed that only half of Trusts in England provide an FLS (51%), compared to 100% coverage in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Following the release of the report and recommendations in December last year, the ROS launched a petition calling for an to end the postcode lottery in England and Wales. If 10,000 people sign the petition the Government must formally respond. The ambition for the campaign is to drive parliamentary engagement and push osteoporosis treatment and care higher up on the political agenda, with the eventual aim of ending the postcode lottery for access to FLS in England and Wales.
By signing the petitions, you can make a difference to people across England and Wales who don’t have access to the care they need because of where they live.
As petitions to Parliament can only cover issues which are fully within the remit of Parliament and not those which are devolved, there are two separate petitions for England and Wales.