Osteoporosis patients ‘abandoned’ after being diagnosed by text, damning inquiry reveals
NHS slammed by experts for failing patients with bone disease
- A parliamentary inquiry has found the NHS is failing osteoporosis patients, often diagnosing them via text message and subsequently "forgetting" them.
- The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) report revealed that only 34 per cent of eligible patients receive medication to prevent fractures, with many experiencing no follow-up or long waits for crucial bone scans.
- A patient survey indicated that over half had not been contacted by a healthcare professional about their condition in the past year, and fewer than a third were satisfied with NHS monitoring.
- Experts and MPs condemned the findings, describing them as a "deep, structural failure" that puts millions at risk of losing independence and facing premature death.
- The APPG recommends developing new care pathways, personalised management plans and adding bone health questions to NHS Health Checks for individuals over 40.