A Welsh health board is calling for local residents to return walking aids they no longer use in a bid to save thousands of pounds.
Sue Rees, deputy head of physiotherapy services for Cardiff and Vale Health Board, said the money saved from refurbishing equipment would go back into patient care
Cardiff and Vale University Health Board said it issued more than 10,000 walking aids each year. If only one in three were returned, and one in four were refurbished and re-issued to a new user, it could save the board nearly £20,000 a year.
Its patients are often loaned walking aids, such as frames, crutches or wheeled walkers, to help get them mobile again after an injury or operation. But, according to the health board, when these aids are no longer needed, many end up in garages and attics to gather dust.
Sue Rees, deputy head of physiotherapy services for Cardiff and Vale, said: ‘Working together with the public we can refurbish more equipment for reuse, and help reduce waste and save money.
*‘The money we save from refurbishing equipment and recycling goes directly back into patient care, which helps us deliver the best services possible.
‘If everyone shared this message with their friends and family and we could pull together, it would make a real difference. Why not make it part of your spring clean?’
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