13 new DEXA scanners are to be rolled out across the country, set to deliver and extra 29,000 bone scans each year.

The scanners were promised as part of the government’s Elective Reform Plan.

The scanners are equipped with advanced technology to identify with minute detail the quality of a patient’s bones, with more than one in three women and one in five men experiencing a fracture due to osteoporosis in their lifetime.

Health and social care secretary, Wes Streeting, said: "Having seen the pain of a family member breaking a hip because of her osteoporosis, I know only too well how debilitating  a condition it can be.

"We know that early diagnosis of brittle bone conditions means faster treatment and better outcomes for patients, which is why I promised before the election that we would deliver an extra 15,000 scans a year. The investment the government is making in new scanners across the country will deliver an extra 29,000 scans a year, almost double what I promised.

"Our Plan for Change is cutting waiting lists by investing in our NHS, which is only possible because of the increase in employers’ national insurance."

Sue Mann, clinical lead for women’s health at NHS England, said: "This is a welcome targeted investment for the NHS Trusts across England set to receive these new scanners from this month - they measure tiny reductions in bone density that can help us diagnose osteoporosis in its early stages, before you break a bone.

"These scanners are key tools for prevention, particularly for some women who are known to be at higher risk of osteoporosis such as those who go through early menopause."