The Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England have confirmed funding for 20 DEXA bone density scanners across trusts in England for 2025/26, in a press release published on 1 March 2026. The £2.6 million programme is intended to accelerate diagnosis of osteoporosis and reduce fracture risk, with a focus on older people and women. (gov.uk)
Six scanners will add new capacity and 14 will replace ageing machines with higher image quality. The rollout builds on a first wave of 13 scanners announced last year, 10 of which are already operating, with providers delivering over 16,000 additional DEXA scans in 2025 compared with 2024. (gov.uk)
Ministers present the deployment as part of the government’s 10‑Year Health Plan to modernise diagnostics and pivot the NHS towards prevention. Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said the aim is to cut waiting times by enabling earlier testing and treatment. (gov.uk)
Clinically, DEXA scanning is the reference method for confirming osteoporosis and assessing fracture risk. NHS England’s National Clinical Director for Musculoskeletal Conditions, Dr Lesley Kay, expects expanded access to support earlier treatment and reduce avoidable fractures. (gov.uk)
Impact on waits will be tracked through local diagnostics dashboards aligned to the national 6‑week operational standard used for 15 key tests. While DEXA is not one of the headline cancer pathways, trusts show that focused resourcing can move DEXA waits from over 13 weeks to under three weeks. (digital.nhs.uk)
The Royal Osteoporosis Society welcomed the investment, linking it to the government’s election commitment to 15,000 additional scans each year, and urged publication of a national Fracture Liaison Services implementation plan so patients move seamlessly from diagnosis to care. Parliament has since recorded a commitment to achieve universal FLS coverage in England by 2030. (gov.uk)
Workforce remains a binding constraint. The Society of Radiographers supported the announcement but cautioned that equipment alone will not deliver full impact without sustained support for diagnostic radiographers and assistant practitioners, given rising demand across bone health services. (gov.uk)
Access gains will be tangible in areas such as Northumbria, where Hexham General Hospital will host a local scanner to reduce travel for patients, and Leeds, where Seacroft Hospital will add capacity to ease pressure at Leeds General Infirmary and Wharfedale and to support city‑wide fracture liaison pathways. (gov.uk)
What to watch over the next quarters: installation timetables at named trusts; progress toward a published FLS implementation plan and any aligned workforce measures; month‑on‑month scan volumes against the 15,000‑per‑year pledge; and local diagnostic waits relative to the 6‑week standard. These indicators will show whether capital spending converts into earlier treatment and fewer fractures. (gov.uk)