A new Fracture Liaison Service is being introduced to St Helier Hospital for people over 50 who have suffered broken bones.

Two senior nurses, who will work with doctors and nurses in the Fracture Unit, will lead the service which aims to protect people from enduring fractures in future.

Assessment, investigations and treatment will all be offered to reduce risk of future falls and fractures.

Carole Sherriffs, one of the nurses running the service, said: “Sadly, the statistics show that one in two women and one in five men will break a bone after the age of 50.

"This can be a life changing event, which can lead to loss of mobility and independence, social isolation, and depression. Our aim is to stop a further fracture before it happens, by offering our patients all the advice and support they need."

Nurse Jisha Bhose added: “Every year, hip fractures account for 85,000 unplanned hospital admissions nationwide, meaning that people need to stay in hospital for a total of 1.8 million days (known as bed days in the NHS), which translates into a cost of £1.9 billion. By providing this service, we are helping to curtail the prevalence of fractures, and are therefore helping to reduce the cost to our health service.

She continued: “More than 50% of our patients in the Hip Fracture Unit have broken a bone before their hip fracture, and if you have suffered a fracture previously, you are two thirds more likely to have another one. Our service will systematically identify, treat and refer all patients over 50 who have suffered a fracture.”

“We are one of a small number of fracture liaison clinics across the country. It is our hope that by showing the success of our service, along with that of existing services, fracture clinics will become a nationwide initiative. A nationwide fracture clinic service would be a great way of helping to prevent unnecessary and painful fractures for vulnerable people, reduce the amount of surgical procedures and hospital stays required, and also save money for the NHS.”