Effective Healthcare Delivery

Universal access to world-class Fracture Liaison Services is projected to save 57,764 hospital bed days over five years. Government support is crucial to ensure these services are available nationwide.

Fracture Liaison Services (FLS) are specialised care teams focused on preventing future fractures in patients aged 50 years and older who have experienced a fragility fracture. FLS conduct comprehensive fracture risk assessments, ensure adherence to national clinical guidance for osteoporosis treatment, and address falls risk through targeted referrals. In New Zealand, FLS are benchmarked both nationally and internationally, aligning with national Clinical Standards for FLS and the International Osteoporosis Foundation’s Capture the Fracture® Best Practice Framework.

Participation in the Australian and New Zealand Fragility Fracture Registry (ANZFFR) enables FLS to monitor and compare care quality in real time. The “Refracture Tracker” in ANZFFR alerts FLS teams to patients that are presenting with secondary fractures, allowing timely care adjustments. This data also supports informed government funding decisions and strengthens fracture prevention efforts across the country.

In 2024, an analysis commissioned by the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) estimated that universal access to FLS across New Zealand could save 57,764 hospital bed days over five years. A similar analysis conducted by the Royal Osteoporosis Society in the UK estimated that FLS could save 750,000 hospital bed days over the same period. When adjusted for population size, the New Zealand estimate aligns closely with the UK findings, validating the significant impact of FLS in reducing hospital admissions and improving patient outcomes. The assumptions made in the New Zealand bed days analysis are available from here.

FLS provide the essential healthcare delivery infrastructure to ensure that people who sustain fragility fractures receive optimal post-fracture care to prevent secondary fractures. As such, it is imperative that the government designate FLS as core health services with commensurate allocation of long-term funding by government agencies.