Healthcare professionals
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Fracture Liaison Services:
Fracture Liaison Services (FLS) provide a system to ensure fracture risk assessment, and treatment where appropriate, is delivered to all patients with fragility fractures. An FLS is usually comprised of a dedicated case worker, often a clinical nurse specialist, who works to pre-agreed protocols to case-find and assess fracture patients. An FLS can be based in primary or secondary care and requires support from a medically qualified practitioner, be they a GP with specialist interest or a hospital doctor with expertise in fragility fracture prevention. Professional organisations, patients’ societies and policy makers have all called for universal access to FLS in the UK. In May 2011, the Royal College of Physicians national audit reported that still only 37% of localities had established an FLS. The fully referenced business plan below provides a template for service commissioners in areas without an FLS to develop their case
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Bibliography:
A considerable literature on best practice in osteoporosis and fragility fracture prevention has developed. The hyperlinked bibliography below provides visitors with links to helpful peer-reviewed publications and reports
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Useful links:
Professional organisations, patients’ societies and policy teams have developed many useful resources to support healthcare professionals and service commissioners to implement best practice. The document below consolidates these links for visitors.
The Breaking Point Report provided a snapshot of the current situation for women with osteoporosis in the UK.
Breaking Point described the practical steps that must be taken by healthcare professionals, policy makers and commissioners, as well as the public to prevent avoidable suffering and cost of osteoporotic fractures.
