Wes Streeting’s deluge of broken promises is raining down on patient safety like a hailstorm. RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) vaccinations for the over 80s have not been delivered – flying in the face of expert advice and his reassurance, putting the elderly at risk of severe illness this winter. National plans for cancer, maternity and neonatal care, and the NHS workforce have all been pushed back to 2026.

The Health Secretary also promised the delivery of a universal fracture liaison service would be a first priority if he came into office. Fracture liaison services identify people aged 50 or over who have broken a bone and provide treatment to reduce the risk of breaking another bone in the future.

This is a particular problem for people suffering from osteoporosis – a condition that weakens bone density and strength. As we get older, our bone density naturally decreases – increasing the risk of bone fractures.

Many medical conditions, such as arthritis and diabetes, are associated with an increased risk. Women going through

the menopause lose bone strength at a faster rate, too.

3.5 million people are living with osteoporosis in the UK. 1 in 2 women and 20% of men over 50 will break a bone because of it.

In fact, patients with osteoporotic bone fractures occupy more hospital bed days than people hospitalised for heart attacks and strokes 2 . It’s clear that fracture liaison services hold the key to unlock some much-needed breathing space for our NHS.

Fracture liaison services can provide treatment which can prevent these fractures.

It is heartbreaking that 2,000 people are dying each year from preventable fractures. Complications from hip fractures in particular mean around 1 in 5 people die within the first year of fracturing their hip.

Lives are on the line here.

So, how many new fracture liaison services have Labour opened since the General Election?

After asking the Minister this question in Parliament to no avail, I submitted freedom of information requests to England’s 42 Integrated Care Boards (ICBs), asking whether they commission fracture liaison services to find out if the 121 NHS Trusts who deliver fracture clinics also provide a fracture liaison service, and, if so, what date it opened.

Answers reported that Wes has opened just three fracture liaison services since the General Election.

Despite many fracture liaison services being rolled out under the Conservative Government, coverage is incomplete. 49% of NHS Trusts in England – 1 in 2 – still do not have a fracture liaison service.

Almost 25% of ICBs told me they have no fracture liaison service at all, including Cheshire and Merseyside, Northamptonshire, Hertfordshire and West Essex, and Coventry and Warwickshire. That means vulnerable people living in these parts of the UK who are at greater risk of a debilitating bone break are not being identified and offered treatment.

This is, quite literally, an accident waiting to happen – on Labour’s watch. Wes Streeting promised universal fracture liaison services as a first priority by 2030.

But at his current snail’s pace, it will be 2055 before this is achieved – 29 years from now.

As the weather gets colder and the risk of falling is even greater, Wes needs to get his act together and deliver on his promise because otherwise people are going to come to unnecessary harm.