A conference in Oxford today (May 6) will herald a new alliance to combat a brittle bone condition which affects one in three women and one in 12 men over the age of 50.

Every three minutes someone suffers a fracture due to osteoporosis, a disorder which literally means porous bones. More than £7.6m a-year is spent treating it in Oxfordshire alone.

A new effort to improve care of osteoporosis is about to be launched at the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre. Experts from various medical fields will be involved.

New guidelines are being drawn up to deliver an improved service for sufferers in Oxfordshire, in an initiative led by Prof John Wass and consultant rheumatologist Dr Matthew Brown, both based at the NOC.

One proposal is to set up a fracture liaison service with bone screenings for patients most at risk.

There are also plans for a helpline.

GPs could also be urged to refer cases to a new one stop clinic.

Prof Wass said: "We now want to get on with setting up a steering group to bring together all the disciplines in Oxford involved in osteoporosis."