BLACKPOOL VICTORIA HOSPITAL AND OSTEOPOROSIS

That this House welcomes the establishment of a new Osteoporosis Support Group to be based and have meetings at Blackpool Victoria Hospital with the support of the Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; applauds the recognition that people who have osteoporosis, which can affect one in two women and one in three men over the age of 50, need practical support and help in living with that painful and debilitating condition and also need up to date information on research and new treatments; congratulates the initiative of Heather O'Hara and Beverley Clark, both public governors at the Trust who proposed and took forward this initiative, as well as the Trust's management for its support of the proposal; and hopes that this example will encourage other NHS Trusts to consider establishing similar support groups, as well as pressing for more funding and priority in the NHS for early diagnosis of the condition, as well as fracture liaison clinics, which could save the NHS increased costs through late diagnosis as well as assisting in reducing stress and help alleviate this very painful condition.