The Labour government has acknowledged it currently lacks a concrete plan or timeline to establish nationwide NHS bone clinics, despite pledging to make their rollout a priority. Two years into Sir Keir Starmer’s administration, Health Minister Baroness Merron confirmed in Parliament that there are no specific milestones or a detailed implementation strategy for delivering Fracture Liaison Services (FLS) across England, as outlined in the NHS 10-Year Plan.

Baroness Merron, responding to questions about when FLS would be available in all regions by 2030, stated that while the government remains committed to this goal, it has not set annual targets to guide progress. The policy was initially promised as a key early action by former Health Secretary Wes Streeting ahead of the election, but no tangible advancement toward broad coverage has been reported.

The Royal Osteoporosis Society (ROS) has highlighted the slow progress, noting that 24 of the 60 NHS trusts currently lacking FLS should have been covered by now, yet no new clinics have been established. The ROS estimates that approximately 2,000 deaths annually result from hip fractures that could be prevented through timely intervention by these services. According to ROS Chief Executive Craig Jones, the absence of a clear delivery plan and milestones is “incredibly worrying,” urging Health Secretary James Murray to publish a comprehensive rollout strategy before the summer parliamentary recess.

Osteoporosis, which affects an estimated 3.5 million people in the UK, leads to half of women and one-fifth of men over 50 experiencing bone fractures. The condition causes more than 500,000 broken bones each year in the country, incurring costs exceeding £4.5 billion. Campaigners are now seeking legislative changes to improve bone health services nationwide.

Shadow Health Minister Caroline Johnson, a former consultant paediatrician and Conservative MP, has proposed a legislative amendment that would compel the government to introduce FLS across England. The amendment would require ministers to publish a detailed delivery plan within 90 days, effectively holding the government accountable for transforming repeated promises into actionable steps. Johnson emphasized that the amendment is a straightforward call to convert assurances into practical implementation.

The Department of Health reiterated the government’s commitment to achieving universal FLS coverage by 2030 but did not provide further details on forthcoming plans to meet this target. Labor ministers face a decision on whether to support the proposed amendment or oppose a measure that enforces delivery of their own stated policy.