Derbyshire pharmacists have linked up with the National Osteoporosis Society to promote pharmacy's role in osteoporosis.

National Osteoporosis Society information packs are being sent to more than 200 pharmacies across the country, funded by Community Pharmacy Derbyshire, which is also delivering training sessions to local pharmacists. The initiative is timed to coincide with World Osteoporosis Day on October 20.

Community Pharmacy Derbyshire chair John Sargeant said: “Community pharmacists are ideally placed to provide support and guidance to patients suffering from osteoporosis and thereby help to reduce the incidence of fractures. This is just another example of the wide range of services pharmacists offer, and we would encourage people to take advantage of them.”

Caroline Johnson, Development Manager at the National Osteoporosis Society, said: “Osteoporosis can be a debilitating condition but there are steps which can be taken to ensure that people manage it effectively. Pharmacies play a big role in their communities so it’s vital that we give them information about osteoporosis to help those affected.”

The two organisations are highlighting the impact of osteoporosis and the role of pharmacists:

• 46,000 people in Derbyshire and three million nationally are thought to have osteoporosis
• Half of all women and one in five of men over the age of 50 will break a bone as a result of poor bone health
• Every year there are 300,000 fractures as a result of fragile bones
• By 2032, 2,000 broken hips a year are predicted in Derbyshire alone
• Many hip fractures lead to death or permanent disability.