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<p>The provision of fracture liaison services (FLS) and falls services is a matter
for local clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) and data on numbers is not collected
centrally. NHS England advises that it is aware that provision of good FLS is not
uniform across the country and is working with CCGs to support them to develop appropriate
local services. It also advises that the FLS model recommended by the International
Osteoporosis Foundation and the National Osteoporosis society is recognised as best
practice and is being promoted. In addition to this, the guidance from the National
Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) ‘Falls: assessment and prevention
of falls in older people’ sets out best practice for clinicians on the management
of patients aged 65 and over who are susceptible to falls.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
</p><p>Regarding the cost to the National Health Service of treating fractures attributable
to osteoporosis, whilst programme budgeting data provides figures for annual NHS spend
on musculoskeletal services in England, the cost of treating individual musculoskeletal
conditions, such as osteoporosis or specific services such as FLS, is not available
as part of this.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Information concerning the number of
people affected by osteoporosis in each of the last five years is not collected. NICE
estimates that over 300,000 patients present with fragility fractures to hospitals
in the United Kingdom each year.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p>
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