NHS Chiefs Warn of Patient Safety Risks Due to Royal Mail Cuts

Proposed reduction in letter deliveries could exacerbate NHS backlog and lead to missed medical appointments, amidst Royal Mail's financial woes.

Royal Mail's proposed reduction in second-class letter deliveries to three days a week has sparked concerns over patient safety, with NHS chiefs warning that late letters could lead to missed medical appointments.
Healthwatch England, NHS Providers, the Patients Association, and National Voices have raised direct concerns, highlighting that over two million people may have missed medical appointments in the past year due to late letter deliveries.
The NHS is already facing a backlog of 7.6 million patients, with the true number possibly as high as 9.7 million, making timely communication via letters even more crucial.
Royal Mail's financial struggles, including a £319 million loss in the first half of the year and the impact of strikes, have led to calls for a reform of postal regulations to ensure the reliability of medical letter deliveries.
Public dissatisfaction with the NHS is at a record low, with less than one in four people happy with the service, underscoring the importance of addressing the postal service's role in patient care.