New DEXA scanner at Newark Hospital to bring better care to osteoporosis patients

A new state-of-the-art scanner is to bring better bone care to Newark patients.

The Government has pledged install 13 new DEXA scanners across the country — including one at Newark Hospital.

Patients will receive invitations for the first appointments to use the new scanner later this year.

The new scanners are equipped with advanced technology to identify with minute detail the quality of a patient’s bones, and detect indicators of illness such as osteoporosis, which weakens bones and can make them so fragile that even a cough or sneeze could cause a break.

More than one in three women and one in five men will experience one or more osteoporotic fractures in their lifetime.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, said: “Having seen the pain of a family member breaking a hip because of her osteoporosis, I know only too well how debilitating a condition it can be.

“We know that early diagnosis of brittle bone conditions means faster treatment and better outcomes for patients, which is why I promised before the election that we would deliver an extra 15,000 scans a year. The investment the government is making in new scanners across the country will deliver an extra 29,000 scans a year, almost double what I promised.

“Our Plan for Change is cutting waiting lists by investing in our NHS, which is only possible because of the increase in employers’ national insurance.”

The scanner will be a key prevention tool, helping to detect the illness before a bone is even broken in those who may be more prone to osteoporosis — such as women who experience premature menopause.

It will also ensure patients can receive timely and effective care close to home.

Craig Jones, chief executive of the Royal Osteoporosis Society, added: “People in Newark who have undiagnosed osteoporosis are going to benefit enormously from Wes Streeting’s investment in a hi-tech, ultra-modern bone scanner for the area.

“Osteoporosis can cause life-threatening fractures, bringing hospitalisation and isolation, but this new scanner will diagnose thousands of patients early, giving them back the lives and futures they deserve.”

The Government is also aiming to ensure that 92% of patients receive their first consultant-led treatment within 18 weeks of a referral by March 2029.

More than three million appointments have already been delivered, against a target of two million extra operations, scans and appointments.