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Osteoporosis and Bone Health
22 April 2026
Lead MP
Sonia Kumar
Dudley
Lab
Responding Minister
Sharon Hodgson
Tags
NHS
Word Count: 3307
Other Contributors: 3
At a Glance
Sonia Kumar raised concerns about osteoporosis and bone health in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key Requests to Government:
Sonia Kumar called on the Government to roll out fractur [7D [K fracture liaison services (FLS) to all parts of England by 2030, introduce [K questions about bone density and osteoporosis in health checks for over-40s [8D [K over-40s, and implement targeted case finding and proactive bone health man [3D [K management for those aged 70 and above.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
As a practising physiotherapist, Sonia Kumar has wit [3D [K witnessed the profound impact of osteoporosis on individuals' health, indep [5D [K independence, and livelihood. She highlighted that over 3.2 million people [K in England live with osteoporosis, including more than 2.5 million women, w [1D [K with one in two women over 50 suffering a fracture caused by osteoporosis. [K The disease is asymptomatic until it manifests through fractures, which can [3D [K can lead to significant health issues and loss of independence. She cited s [1D [K stark variations in access to treatment across the country, noting that pre [3D [K prescribing rates for critical second-line therapy are three and a half tim [3D [K times higher in affluent areas compared with deprived areas.
Adam Dance
Lib Dem
Yeovil
Constituents such as Susan have suffered pain and ch [2D [K changes to their life because of osteoporosis. The concern is that without [K a fully funded implementation plan, there will not be proper fracture liais [5D [K liaison services in rural areas.
Jim Shannon
DUP
Strangford
The hon. Member's work on osteoporosis before coming [6D [K coming to the House is commendable. The condition affects one in two women [K and one in four men over 50, highlighting the need for greater awareness, e [1D [K especially regarding calcium and vitamin D.
Rachel Taylor
Lab
North Warwickshire and Bedworth
Recently welcoming a new state-of-the-art physical a [1D [K activity hub in her constituency, Rachel Taylor discussed how it could help [4D [K help residents stay active and prevent osteoporosis. She asked the Minister [8D [K Minister to address the utilisation of physiotherapy workforce.
Government Response
Sharon Hodgson
Government Response
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Ms [K Lewell. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Dudley (Sonia Kumar) for secu [4D [K securing this important debate. She continues to work as a physiotherapist [K alongside her role as an MP, bringing valuable professional clinical experi [6D [K experience and knowledge. Osteoporosis affects more than 3 million people i [1D [K in the UK, with over half a million presenting to hospitals annually due to [2D [K to fragility fractures. The Government recognises the significant impact of [2D [K of osteoporosis on individuals and the NHS, aiming for personalised care th [2D [K through initiatives like the neighbourhood health service and Diagnosis Con [3D [K Connect. Over 16,000 extra DEXA scans were delivered last year, with £2.4 m [1D [K million funding announced for 20 new scanners to improve access to bone sca [3D [K scans. Fracture liaison services are being rolled out to every part of the [K country by 2030. Two new drugs have been recommended by NICE since 2022 to [K treat osteoporosis in post-menopausal women, and the Government is committe [8D [K committed to supporting healthy ageing through initiatives like the WorkWel [7D [K WorkWell programme and MSK community delivery programme.
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About Westminster Hall Debates
Westminster Hall debates are a chance for MPs to raise important issues affecting their constituents and get a response from a government minister. Unlike Prime Minister's Questions, these debates are more in-depth and collaborative. The MP who secured the debate speaks first, other MPs can contribute, and a minister responds with the government's position.