£1m investment in FLS for Wales!

The Welsh Government has invested more than £1million into life-saving Fracture Liaison Services across Wales – helping to save lives and prevent the misery caused by osteoporosis.

Minister Eluned Morgan unveiled a Transformation Fund in Wales to accelerate progress in meeting her mandate for 100% FLS coverage in Wales. 

The cash injection of £1.05million, announced on Thursday (April 25), will boost delivery of FLS across the nation. It will help meet the September 2024 target set out by the Welsh Government.

 The move will now increase pressure on Whitehall to do the same across England.

This is a significant step for Wales and follows intensive campaigning by the Royal Osteoporosis Society, the Sunday Express and the Mail on Sunday to guarantee 100% FLS coverage across Wales – and in England!

This is a victory for all our members, partners and everyone living with osteoporosis!

• Wales has a top-down mandate committing to 100% population coverage of Fracture Liaison Services (FLS) across all health boards by September 2024. 
• Wales has a bone fracture tsar - Dr Inder Singh is the national clinical lead for falls and frailty in Wales.
• All over-50s will have access to a Fracture Liaison Service.

The Minister also announced a new Quality Statement for FLS, which sets targets for all Welsh FLSs to meet the national quality standards designed by the Royal Osteoporosis Society. It’s another important win.

The Royal Osteoporosis Society now wants the same boost for patients in England. We want £30 million extra funding a year from the Government to end the deadly FLS postcode lottery.

In England, only 51% of NHS trusts have a FLS – a big investment is needed urgently!

Craig Jones, Chief Executive of the Royal Osteoporosis Society, said:

“The Welsh Health Secretary just announced the UK’s first Transformation Fund for Fracture Liaison Services. Baroness Morgan has recognized that leadership from Government is needed to light the spark and get these life-saving services set up.  This shows how a modest Transformation Fund for the first couple of years can pump-prime the set up of these crucial services.  When they pay off in spades, local commissioners will be falling over themselves to keep them running.  Now we need the same for patients who are being needlessly exposed to life-threatening fractures in England”.  

How the funding works in Wales

The Welsh Government is paying centrally for the FLSs to be set up (a strategy called pump-priming). The local health boards take on the costs once the services are set up.

In February 2023, the Minister mandated all health boards must have 100% FLS coverage. The government is now ensuring delivery by helping the health boards who have not already complied (with the mandate) with their set up costs.

There is always more that could be done to stop the misery caused by osteoporosis – but this is a big first step!

You can find out more about our campaign for 100% FLS coverage here.