Lobbying your MP or other elected representative 

Osteoporosis affects 3.5 million people across the UK and costs the NHS over £4.6bn per year. Known as the ‘silent disease’ it causes over half a million broken bones each year—one every minute—and as many deaths, linked to fractures, as lung cancer or diabetes.

Yet, in England and Wales only half (51%) of NHS trusts have a Fracture Liaison Service (FLS), the gold standard for systematically identifying, accessing, and treating anyone who breaks a bone after the age of 50.

This means that 90,000 people are missing out on vital osteoporosis treatment and at risk of further fractures simply because of their postcode.

The Welsh government recently committed to delivering 100% FLS coverage but it is important to keep up the pressure. We are calling for Westminster to match this commitment in England.

Scotland and Northern Ireland have full FLS coverage in principle but gaps in quality mean that many are missing out on the treatment they need to keep their bones strong.

How do I take action?

We’re asking you to write to your MP or other elected representative and ask them to join the list of supporters for our Better Bones campaign with the Sunday Express to persuade the four Governments across the UK to improve the population coverage and quality of FLS.

We’ve created a template letter that you can use to ask your MP, or other elected representative to support the campaign. 

Template letter

If you live in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, you can write to both your UK MP and your devolved representative. You can use the same template letter.

Why we need you to take action

Parliamentarians, whether in the UK Parliament, Welsh Senedd, Scottish Parliament or Northern Ireland Assembly, all have a significant influence over health policy and priorities.

The more Parliamentarians who support our campaign, the greater our chance of success in our goal of improving the population coverage and quality of FLS. You can find more information in our briefing on the campaign and in the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Osteoporosis and Bone Health's Inquiry report: How to End the Postcode Lottery for Access to a Quality Fracture Liaison Service. The findings highlight the scale of under-diagnosis and missed opportunities in the NHS, while publishing a blueprint for change.

Breaking the Silence: a Manifesto for a Future Without Osteoporosis lays out what policymakers need to do to improve the future for people with osteoporosis. Please will you help us spread the word to Parliamentarians and ask them to act?

How do I contact my MP?

You can find contact details for your Member of Parliament (MP) here: https://members.parliament.uk/FindYourMP

If you live in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland you can write to both your UK MP and devolved representative.

Find contact details for your constituency Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) here: https://www.parliament.scot/msps

Find contact details for your Member of the Senedd (MS) in Wales here: https://senedd.wales/find-a-member-of-the-senedd

Find contact details for your Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) in Northern Ireland here: http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/your-mlas/

What do I do if my MP agrees to support the campaign?

Please let us know if your elected representative is willing to support our Better Bones campaign. You can email campaigns@theros.org.uk if you receive any response, or just to let us know you have contacted your elected representative.

If your elected representative is an MP, you can ask them to join the APPG on Osteoporosis and Bone Health to show their support. You can also ask all elected officials to write to the Health Minister, asking what the Government plans to do for osteoporosis and how they will address the policy areas outlined in our manifesto.