Too many crutches are going walkabout from hospitals at Barnet and Edgware.
The Wellhouse Trust, which runs emergency services on both sites, says it is losing thousands of pounds each year because patients do not return borrowed crutches and walking sticks once they get better.
"Every time a patient fails to return hospital equipment it means the hospital has to spend precious NHS money replacing it," says Yvonne Holland of Barnet's A&E department.
"If they bring the equipment back to the A&E department at Barnet Hospital or the urgent treatment centre at Edgware, no questions will be asked."
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