The NHS will get its own Royal Mail postage class to help stop late letters leading to missed appointments
The NHS will get its own Royal Mail postage class to help stop late letters leading to missed appointments following lobbying from Healthwatch.
A letter to Ofcom, co-written by Royal Mail, NHS England, NHS Providers, Healthwatch England, National Voices, and the Patients Association, outlines new protections to ensure reliable and efficient postal service for NHS patients, including the introduction of a new Royal Mail NHS-specific barcode.
The improvements include:
- A new Royal Mail NHS-specific barcode to support mail delivery teams ensures that NHS letters are delivered on time, including at times of service disruptions. Once implemented, the barcode will replace manual extraction of NHS letters and be used to locate NHS letters where Royal Mail is not meeting expected delivery standards.
- A new briefing for NHS organisations to increase awareness and uptake of the variety of Royal Mail services for the timely delivery of NHS letters.
In the open letter, the health leaders, joined by Royal Mail, have shared how they have worked together to meet the needs of the public and the NHS, as well as pledging to ensure that any future reform reflects the needs of the NHS and patients.
Nearly 7.5 million outpatient appointments were missed in 2021/2022, according to NHS England, with at least some of these caused by issues with appointment letters, including late arrival, non-receipt, or being lost.
We have heard from patients who have experienced delayed delivery of letters containing vital information about their conditions, upcoming appointments, and treatment plans.
This includes NHS letters being delivered after the scheduled appointment date and has on occasion included separate letters notifying cancellations and missed appointments arriving at the same time as the initial appointment letter.
The result is a huge amount of confusion for patients who need absolute clarity following a referral for more specialist treatment.
The new system will mean NHS letters - specifically medical or appointment letters - are prioritised and sent quickly.
It is key that local people receive timely and accessible information about their health and care in ways that they can understand.
To learn more about what we have heard from local communities, and our recommendations for change check out the Healthwatch Kingston Including Communities and Including Digitally Excluded Communities
Louise Ansari, Chief Executive at Healthwatch England:
“We have been delighted to work with Royal Mail and other health partners to make sure that people’s experiences of delayed letters have been listened to and addressed. Delayed delivery of letters is a frustrating admin issue people share with us. Recent research shows that 1 in 5 people received an invitation to an appointment by letter or text after the date of their appointment [3].
“Whether missing important appointments or vital test results, letters arriving late can be a patient safety risk, and often puts the burden on people to chase essential communications themselves. We hope these changes lead to improvements for patients and NHS teams.”
