HEALTH boards will be given £4 million to provide equipment such as the speech device used by Professor Stephen Hawking.

The Scottish Government said the funding would benefit thousands of people who have difficulty expressing themselves.

NHS boards can use the money over the next three years to provide augmentative and alternative communication equipment ranging from high-tech computers to low-tech picture books.

Public Health Minister Michael Matheson announced the funding as part of new guidance called Right to Speak.

He said: "The kinds of equipment and speech and language therapy support services it will buy are vital for thousands of people."