Bone Abstracts

Background: Rare Bone Diseases in adults are managed by a variety of specialties in the UK, yet education on these conditions remains limited during specialist training. The Bone Research Society (BRS) aims to promote and facilitate the study and research of rare bone diseases. In 2025 the BRS organised a 1-day course in adult rare bone disease. In 2026 this was expanded to a 2-day deep dive course, endorsed by the NHS Adult Rare Bone Disease Collaborative Network. We report the outcomes from the 2026 course.

Methods: Faculty included consultant rheumatologists, endocrinologists, a radiologist and a spinal surgeon. Learning objectives were developed to cover: nosology, genetics, radiology, osteogenesis imperfecta, phosphate disorders, fibrous dysplasia, hypophosphatasia, fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva, pregnancy- and- lactation-associated osteoporosis, parathyroid disorders, too much bone, too little bone, when to refer to orthopaedics and practical sessions on managing high bone mass, bone marrow oedema and functional hypothalamic amenorrhoea. Sessions integrated pathophysiology with current recommendations for assessment and management, supported by case-based discussions highlighting red flags. Attendees completed pre- and post-course questionnaires to evaluate knowledge acquisition and course outcomes.

Results: There were 44 delegates. Pre- and post-course feedback was available from 26 and 25 attendees respectively. Respondents included: rheumatologists (53.8%), chemical pathology/metabolic medicine clinicians (15.4%), endocrinologists (11.5% ) and specialist nurses (11.5%). 35% were in a training post and 65% were post-training. Confidence levels pre-course were low with 67% of attendees reporting no or basic understanding of topics to be covered. Post-course confidence levels were improved with 66% of attendees reporting a strong or high level of understanding. The primary motivations for attending the course were to enhance knowledge and confidence in managing these conditions, as well as to reduce the risk of missing rare bone disease cases within general osteoporosis services. 92% of attendees were very likely to recommend this course to others, with the remaining 8% likely to recommend it.

Conclusion: Attendance at this course has been shown to improve confidence and knowledge of Adult Rare Bone diseases and represents a significant advance of workforce rare bone disease knowledge in the NHS.