The Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons, along with the National Osteoporosis Society and have awarded almost £3million to 13 NHS Trusts across England and Wales to improve osteoporosis services.

The funding comes from money donated to the charity by the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons in a bid to boost the number of DXA scans being carried out across the country. Research had identified a shortfall in osteoporosis scanning services throughout England and Wales, despite a £20million NHS pledge to improve osteoporosis scanning provision. DXA scans are the gold standard in diagnosing osteoporosis.

In August 2007, the National Osteoporosis Society invited bids from Strategic Health Authorities, Primary Care Trusts and Local Health Boards in England and Wales. By the time applications closed in October, the charity had received an overwhelming response of almost ninety bids requesting nearly £21million.

Claire Severgnini, Chief Executive of the National Osteoporosis Society said: "The response from NHS Trusts was overwhelming and clearly demonstrated both the extent of the gaps in the existing service and the commitment of the clinicians and managers to radically improve services."

"We are extremely grateful to the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons for their very generous donation which can now be used to improve osteoporosis service provision throughout England and Wales."

"We know that thousands of people will benefit from improved local osteoporosis services and for that, we are very grateful. By ensuring that those people with greatest need are being referred and scanned much more quickly, we have the potential to save thousands of people from the debilitating fractures that cause so much pain, distress and loss of independence.''

Dr John Wright, Board Member of the Grand Lodge Mark Master Masons said:
"The Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons is most pleased to have helped, by way of a donation, the valuable work of the National Osteoporosis Society to improve Osteoporosis Scanning Services in those parts of England and Wales perceived to have large at risk populations and where Scanning Services are thought to require resource input."

What is a DXA scan?

Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) scans measure the density of bones. This test is currently the most accurate and reliable way of diagnosing osteoporosis. It is a simple, painless procedure that uses very low doses of radiation. Patients are asked to lie down for 10-15 minutes while an x-ray arm passes over them to take an image of their hip or spine. These scanners are usually in hospitals but not all hospitals have one, which can mean long waiting times.

Where has the funding come from?

In 2006 the National Osteoporosis Society received a £3 million donation from the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons, which was designated to fund a new scanning project established to help reduce the deficit in DXA scanners in England and Wales.

Research had suggested that mobile scanners might help to improve services in those areas where patients had to travel considerable distances to their nearest DXA scanner. However the work completed during the early stages of the project revealed that investment in DXA by the government at that time had, in part, been used to commission mobile scanning services from private providers. A key objective of the project was to work in partnership, and not compete, with the NHS.

In response to this, the focus of the project was changed to allow individual services to request funds to assist with meeting specific local requirements.

How has the money been allocated?

All of the successful applicants demonstrated a clear vision for significantly improving the diagnosis of osteoporosis. Their business cases were strong and in most cases, the funding will mean that the number of DXA scans performed in each area will increase and the distances travelled by patients to have a scan will be reduced significantly.

The Project Team had to focus on bids that they felt would significantly improve the number of scans performed, which was central to the aims of the project.

Plymouth and North Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trusts both won funding at the end of 2007 to set up mobile DXA scanning services in their own areas. Both Trusts had specifically requested use of the existing mobile osteoporosis scanner. It was decided that the existing mobile scanner would go to North Cheshire and that Plymouth would receive funding for a similar unit.

Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Society

In the UK, one in two women and one in five men over the age of 50 will break a bone mainly because of osteoporosis.

The National Osteoporosis Society is the only UK wide charity dedicated to improving the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of osteoporosis.

Three million people have, or are at risk of osteoporosis in the UK.

Osteoporosis literally means porous bones. The bones in our skeleton are made of a thick outer shell and a strong inner mesh filled with collagen (protein), calcium salts and other minerals. The inside looks like honeycomb, with blood vessels and bone marrow in the spaces between bone. Osteoporosis occurs when the holes between bone become bigger, making it fragile and liable to break easily. Osteoporosis can affect many bones in the skeleton and it commonly causes breaks (fractures) to bones in the wrist, spine and hip.

The risk of developing osteoporosis can be reduced by taking plenty of weight bearing exercise and eating a healthy balanced calcium rich diet throughout life.

-- National Osteoporosis Society
-- The Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons