National Osteoporosis Society: A brighter future for people with fragile bones

This guest post from the National Osteoporosis Society highlights its work and involvement with Falls Awareness Week (18 – 22 June 2012). Age Scotland will also be working to promote falls prevention.

Osteoporosis is a long-term musculoskeletal condition which causes fragile bones and can lead to painful and disabling fractures.

This Falls Awareness Week, the National Osteoporosis Society is keen to raise  awareness of osteoporosis  and what can be done to keep  bones healthy as we grow older.

The National Osteoporosis Society is the only UK-wide charity dedicated to improving the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis and fragility fractures. In the UK, one in two women and one in five men over the age of 50  will break a bone, mainly because of poor bone health.

Last year, the National Osteoporosis Society marked their 25th anniversary, and celebrated the huge progress which has been made in service provision across Scotland, especially in the last few years.

Osteoporosis has reduced John’s height but he gets much help and support from NOS.

All mainland health board areas now have at least one DXA scanner (it measures bone mineral density) available locally and almost 80% of the Scottish population have access to a Fracture Liaison Service.

A network of specialist osteoporosis nurses, working together with the National Osteoporosis Society staff in Scotland, provide information and support to people who have been newly diagnosed with osteoporosis to give them a better understanding of their condition and to offer help, information and support.

A network of support groups and volunteers throughout Scotland provide ongoing local support and up-to-date information.  The Glasgow group has been meeting every month for over 23 years and are the longest serving group in the UK.

Osteoporosis Specialist Nurse Margaret French, Dr Lisa Hutton and Osteoporosis Specialist Nurse Francis Lovell from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde at the NOS 25th birthday celebrations in the Scottish Parliament.

Last year alone, more than 1,400 people attended events organised by the charity.  And since the National Osteoporosis Society was first established in 1986, well over 100 awareness and support events have taken place across Scotland, from Kirkwall to Kelso and  Lerwick  to Stranraer.

A key part of our work is to ensure that support and information is available for everyone who has been diagnosed with osteoporosis, those who have had a fracture due to fragile bones and those who are worried about themselves or loved ones.

For information on osteoporosis visit www.nos.org.uk or call the charity’s helpline on 0845 450 0230.  The helpline is staffed by nurses with specialist knowledge of bone health and have been described by thousands of grateful callers as a lifeline for the support and information that they offer.

Through our ‘for a Breakfree future’ campaign, the National Osteoporosis Society is pressing the Scottish Government to commit to protecting Fracture Liaison Nurse and Osteoporosis Nurse posts, and ensuring that every Scottish NHS hospital that receives fracture patients is linked to a comprehensive Fracture Liaison Service (FLS).

For information on the National Osteoporosis Society in Scotland contact:

Anne Simpson
National Osteoporosis Society
Development Manager for Scotland
PO Box 10021
Uddingston
Glasgow
G71 7WG

Telephone: 01698 811 171

Email: a.simpson@nos.org.uk

• Learn more about Falls Awareness Week.
• Read more info on health and well-being in later life.