Labour urged to include questions on bone health in NHS check | UK | News

The government has been asked to include questions about bone health in the NHS Health Check.

The Royal Osteoporosis Society said Health Secretary Wes Streeting’s decision to ask about menopause now presents a “significant opportunity” to deliver on his promise for early detection of osteoporosis.

That’s why the charity also wants bone health checked for both men and women.

As part of the Sunday Express Better Bones campaign, the minister, along with ROS, promised to open specialist bone clinics across England to end the postcode lottery
For early diagnosis of bone weakening condition.

The NHS Health Check, a five-year assessment of people aged 40 to 74, could prevent the pain of avoidable fractures and keep people in work if questions about bone health are included, especially for menopausal women.

Hormonal changes, especially the sharp drop in estrogen, weaken bones and sharply increase the risk of osteoporosis and fractures.

The government says including questions about menopause would benefit almost five million women, but expanding coverage of bone health for both genders could help even more.

It is estimated that around 3.5 million people in the UK have osteoporosis, while half of women and 20% of men over 50 will have a bone fracture because of it.

Craig Jones, chief executive of ROS, which has provided expert advice to the Government on how to frame the bone health issue, said: “We welcome the Government’s announcement that menopause questions will be included in NHS Health Checks.

“We’re asking ministers to consider bone health as one of these new questions so that women going through menopause have the chance to consider their risk of debilitating fractures.”