Primary Care Rheumatology Society

After attending the PCRS' osteoporosis conference in April I got involved in discussions locally to set up direct access to DEXA scanning for GPs (still not available In our area!). Talking to 2nd care and the local PCT it seems that there is a differrent understanding what the required number of DEXAs per year to provide adequate primary and secondary Osteoporosis prevention would be.
My understanding is that most PCOs working this out based on a NOS survey, which calculalated 1000 DEXAs in a population of 100.000.
Has anybody any other figures? What are your experiences to provide direct access DEXA scanning locally?
If the NOS survey's calculation is the generally accepted number than the two DEXA scanners provided locally in 2nd care will not cope with the expected numbers and there will be a need for additional capacity.
Has anybody been involved in providing additional DEXA scanning capacity?
Thanks.

Chris Boelling
GPwSI in South Glos.