Keeping crutches costs £70k a year, NHS trust says

An NHS trust has said patients keeping unneeded crutches and zimmer frames is costing it about £70,000 per year.

The Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust said it handed out thousands of pieces of mobility equipment during the year.

But only 38% of all crutches and 15% of zimmer frames were returned during 2024.

The trust said unwanted mobility aids could be returned to the main reception at the Royal Berkshire Hospital, and doing so made a "significant difference to the well-being of patients requiring mobility assistance".

Albert Coombes, a physiotherapist at the hospital, said the reason for people not returning them could be "not enough education from us when you're being given the walking aides while in hospital".

"Secondly, we're all human beings, we all forget," he said.

"We're using social media and various other avenues and educating our staff as well to give patients that information so they can return their walking aides to us after they've used it.

"If you search on the internet it will come up with the Recycle Now website, if you search 'How do I return my walking aides?', that will give you your nearest drop off site."

The trust also confirmed no one will be punished in any way for "late returns" of crutches, and all returned equipment will be checked before being reissued to patients.

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