OSWESTRY METABOLIC BONE CENTRE
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The Robert Jones & Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital

Metabolic Bone Centre

The metabolic bone centre provides care to patients across Shropshire, the West Midlands, Cheshire, North and Mid-Wales and beyond. It has the highest patient numbers of all the metabolic bone units in the UK and offers huge potential for research. The metabolic bone team collaborate widely with other research groups, hospitals, and Universities (such as Oxford and Keele). Together they have a vast experience in teaching, research and the specialist clinical care of metabolic bone disease.

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Welcome to the Robert Jones & Agnes Hunt Metabolic Bone Unit

Osteoporosis is a chronic systemic skeletal disorder characterised by weakened bones that are more prone to fracture, the disease presents a huge burden on the NHS, patients, and their families. The Robert Jones & Agnes Hunt (RJAH) Orthopaedic Hospital sees over 10,000 patients a year in its specialist metabolic bone unit for assessment of osteoporotic risk and treatment of the disease itself. Patients attending the metabolic bone unit routinely undergo a Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) scan. This is a standard, non-invasive, low ionising radiation tool that provides information on bone mineral density (BMD), which can help predict a patient’s risk of fracture and help in the diagnosis of Osteoporosis.

Learn About The NHS Metabolic Bone Service

Meet Our Research Team

Why Research Is Important

Find Out More About Current Research Studies

Read Our Publications

Funding and How to Get Involved

Comprehensive Assessment and Management of Osteoporosis and Metabolic Bone Diseases

Patients are referred to us through their GP. Through the NHS, we offer patients a comprehensive offer a comprehensive service to diagnose, prevent and treat osteoporosis and other metabolic diseases in adults which is supported by:

  • Consultant-led clinics
  • Specialist clinics including anabolic therapy and rare bone disease
  • Metabolic Bone Nurse specialists
  • Bone density scanning service (DXA)
  • Specialist therapeutic unit for same-day osteoporosis treatments
  • In-house bone marker lab to assess treatment response
  • Managerial, secretarial, and clerical staff
  • Active metabolic bone research group
A staff member using lab equipment
“The NHS metabolic bone unit offers a huge potential FOR RESEARCH”

Metabolic Bone Disease

What is Metabolic Bone Disease?

Metabolic bone disease is a group of conditions that affect the strength and health of your bones making them easier to break (fracture) even from minor falls or injuries. The metabolic bone disease spectrum includes very common conditions such as osteoporosis, less common problems such as Paget’s disease of the bone, and very rare disorders such as genetic forms of rickets.

What is Osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is a condition that makes the bones weak and more likely to break. It is more common in older adults and women and affects around one in two women and one in five men over the age of 50. The condition is characterised by low bone mass which can be measured by bone mineral density (DXA). Patients living with osteoporosis are at increased risk for broken bones especially at the spine, hip, upper arm, and wrist. The number of osteoporotic fractures is set to increase as the elderly population increases.

Meet Our Team

We have an expert team of clinicians and scientists with a focus on bone health research including imaging, clinical data, and bone laboratory work.

Dr Chadi Rekieh

Research is vital in providing the evidence we need to transform services and improve outcomes

Find Out More About Our Research

Bone Density Scan (DXA) Explained

A bone density scan is taken using a special machine that used x-rays. This is called a Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). This test is used to check for weak bones (osteoporosis) and measures bone mineral density (BMD). It is normally done on your hip and lower spine. However, as bone density varies in different parts of the skeleton, more than one part of your body may be scanned. These scans take around 10-20 minutes. Although BMD results provide a good indication of bone strength, the results of a bone density scan will not necessarily predict whether you'll get a fracture. For example, someone with low bone density may never break a bone, whereas someone with average bone density may have several fractures. This is because other factors, such as age, sex or whether you have previously had a fall, also determine if you're likely to sustain a fracture. Your doctor will consider all of your individual risk factors before deciding if treatment is necessary. For more information please see: Bone density scan (DEXA scan) - How it is performed - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Image of patient receiving a scan

Patient Forms

Thank you for participating in our research. Here, you can complete questionnaires on general and bone health, along with consent forms for active research projects you've been invited to join. For your convenience, these forms can be filled out electronically on your PC or iPad. We greatly appreciate your involvement.

Ipad with image of website

Questionnaires are used as part of a patients standard of care and also as part of research. They are a valuable research tool that allows us to collect data that will help us develop our research. They will help us understand, who will fracture a bone, where that fracture might occur and how many times. If we can predict who is most at risk of bone fracture’s we can start treatment early to prevent fractures.

This depends on your medical history and why you have been referred to the metabolic bone clinic. Your clinical team will explain all tests that are needed as part of your standard of care. If any tests are needed for research, the type of research and involvement will be discussed with you by a member of the clinical or research team and you will be given the opportunity to ask questions. If you agree to taking part in research, you will be asked for your consent by way of signing a form. If you chose not to, that is absolutely fine and your NHS care will not be affected in any way. Some examples of extra research tests might include an extra blood test or a specialised scan.

A DEXA scan will take around 10-20 minutes. If needed, an MRI scan will take 20 minutes, and CT scan 15 minutes

You will find out about the result of your tests through your GP. The clinical team will review your tests and any scans you have had as part of your visit and write a report. This report, sent to your GP, will include any plan for recommended treatment and follow up visits.

If you have osteoporosis you may be advised to take treatment, usually in the form of tablets. You may be offered an appointment in the metabolic bone clinic to have further tests and discuss the results.