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Sir Julian Hartley, the chief executive of NHS Providers, said the Royal Mail needed to “work closely” with hospitals to ensure changes and their consequences were understood.
“Although the NHS is increasingly moving towards more digital ways of working, many patients still rely on post for updates on care and treatment, often because they don’t have access to or prefer not to use digital communication,” he said.
“A punctual, reliable post service is therefore crucial to ensure timely updates for patients. Any reduction to that would be a real concern.”
Rachel Power, the chief executive of Patients Association, an advocacy group said: “Timely letter delivery is crucial to maintaining an inclusive healthcare system that doesn’t leave anyone behind,” she said.
Louise Ansari, the chief executive of Healthwatch England, said the think tank had “heard worrying stories from people frustrated by the late arrival of crucial NHS post”.
She added: “When appointment letters, test results and other communications from the NHS are delayed, patient safety is put at risk, while NHS teams must deal with the fall-out of missed appointments.”
Jacob Lant, the chief executive of National Voices, a health charity, said “NHS mail is a basic essential and must remain a priority”, adding: “Any delays in delivering letters can create anxiety for patients and if appointments are missed it can cause a dangerous disruption to people’s care.”
A Royal Mail spokesman said: “The NHS is made up of hundreds of different trusts and thousands of GPs as well as other services, each with varied requirements. We will continue to offer a choice of service levels and prices to suit their needs. We are working with a range of NHS bodies to explore options for time-sensitive medical letters as part of our proposals.”
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