THE drive to save the NHS £500,000 of wasted cash is being stepped up, thanks to the Daily Echo.

Health bosses believe thousands of pounds worth of NHS equipment is still sitting out there in people's homes, because they have "forgotten" to return it to the hospital.

Last year, just 25 per cent of people returned walking frames they were loaned by Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust.

Only half of those who borrowed crutches and walking sticks took them back to the hospital, costing the trust more than £9,500.

But the Daily Echo is now stepping in to take it back for you.

For a six-week period, our delivery drivers will pick up any equipment people no longer need but cannot return to the hospital themselves for any reason. It will then be stored at the Daily Echo offices until a vanload of equipment has been collected, when it will be dropped off at the relevant hospital.

Marilyn Kay, press officer for Southamp-ton University Hospitals NHS Trust, said the idea was fantastic.

She said: "We think it's a cracking idea from the Daily Echo campaign and a lovely thought that the local newspaper, that serves the community, is joining forces with us.

"This is what it's all about, thank you very much."

Penny Gilbert, head occupational therapist for Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust's therapy services department, said it is vital the people return equipment they no longer need.

She said: "The return of equipment is important, but we need to be able to check that the equipment is safe before we reissue it to someone else, so unless we say we don't want it back, it's really important that people to return it.

"It may not look damaged, but there may be weak joints and things that people can't see. It it's not going to be re-used then we need to make sure that it's disposed of in the appropriate way."

If you have any crutches, walking frames, wheelchairs, walking sticks, toilet seats, bath seats, shower seats, or any other NHS equipment you no longer need, call Emma Barnett on 023 8042 4505.

HAVE you missed out on treatment or care because the hospital could not afford it? Do you have any ideas on how the public could help the NHS? Call health reporter Emma Barnett on 023 8042 4505, fax 023 8042 4545 or e-mail using the link above.