NHS Highland is asking anyone who has been loaned medical equipment to return it.
Apparatus such as walking frames, wheelchairs, crutches and raised toilet seats are frequently given to people to help them live as full a life as possible when they are released from hospital.
But some items are not returned when they are no longer needed – and that is costing NHS Highland money.
A pair of crutches starts from around £20 and a Zimmer frame £30.
NHS Highland physiotherapist Chris Norval, a clinical specialist physiotherapist for rehabilitation, explained: “We regularly have to buy new walking frames, for example, and it would save us money if people gave back any equipment they no longer need.”
She added: “Walking aids are frequently lent out to patients to use during convalescence but they should be returned to us once they are no longer needed, so that we can give them to other patients who need them.
“I would urge anyone who no longer needs such equipment to return it to us.”
A spokesman for NHS Highland said that there were no figures available to detail how many of each type of item was unaccounted for and how many items have had to be bought to make up the shortfall.
