Postal delay warning as Dundee woman left waiting for urgent cancer appointment

[TrueBlueTerrier]

https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/politic ... e-letters/

Royal Mail says that during the festive period it can be logistically necessary to clear parcels first because of the space they take up in delivery offices.

Dundee woman was left waiting days for news of an urgent cancer appointment due to Royal Mail delays, a local MSP warns.

Royal Mail insists post is being delivered to the vast majority of addresses, with all addresses said to be receiving post every second day.

But Dundee-based MSP Michael Marra says his concern comes after changes to the postal service in the east of the city.

Since then, he says he has received complaints from locals and pointed out that Royal Mail were forced to apologise after delays in delivering postal ballots during the general election.

‘Deliveries being bulked together and squeezed through letterbox’

He told The Courier: “I have been approached by numerous constituents over recent weeks saying that they are either not receiving their post or that it is badly delayed.

“Deliveries are being bulked together with post not arriving for days at a time and then a pile being squeezed through the letter box all at once.

“There are concerns that parcels are being prioritised over letters. Of course many letters are urgent, time sensitive and very personal.

“At a recent surgery a constituent told me she has been waiting on the door step day after day in hope of a letter about urgent cancer treatment.

“The lack of reliability in the service has her questioning whether this is delays in the postal service or in our NHS.

Scotland ‘cannot function’ without reliable postal service
“A reliable postal service is important to both our public services and to our economy. We cannot function without it.”

Mr Marra has asked constituents experiencing delays to get in touch.

Royal Mail says that during the festive period it can be logistically necessary to clear parcels first because of the space they take up in delivery offices.

A spokeswoman said: “We have a plan in place to manage any delays, with no mail for residents in Dundee being left more than one day.”

NHS Tayside ‘aware of reports of delays’
An NHS Tayside spokeswoman said the health board had been made aware of the reports from Mr Marra’s constituents, but that the majority of appointments booked six weeks advance – with second class mail meant to arrive within two to three days.

The spokeswoman added: “Any short notice appointment letters are sent 1st class and patients are always telephoned to advise of this type of short notice appointment.”

A text messaging reminder service is also in operation.

NHS Tayside also monitors how many patients do not attend appointments.

“A common reason given by patients as to why they did not attend their appointments is that they did not receive the appointment or did not receive it in time to attend,” it added.

[BenacreNick]

Mr. Maria MSP. The NHS are still using DSA service, which is at best 5 days. Please ask them to switch to an alternative RM service.

[Mr Rush]

Royal Mail says that during the festive period it can be logistically necessary to clear parcels first because of the space they take up in delivery offices.

Not that long ago the official line was that packets were not prioritised. At some point the absolute become a conditional.