NHS joints bill in spotlight

THE NHS could save about £2 million a year if boards stopped purchasing replacement hip and knee joints from different suppliers, auditors have said.

Artificial hips can range in cost from an average of 858 in Lothian to 1,832 in neighbouring Forth Valley, according to a report by spending watchdog Audit Scotland.

The cost of knee implants varies from an average of 1,832 at the Golden Jubilee hospital near Glasgow to 2,060 in the Western Isles.

Price differences were highlighted in a review of orthopaedic services across the NHS in Scotland.