Hospital dates ‘being missed due to Moray postal delays’

Postal delays are causing people to miss hospital appointments, says a Moray councillor .

Sandy Keith (Elgin North, Labour) has received complaints from several constituents stating their letters only arrived after the dates of their patient consultations.

The Communication Workers Union claims Royal Mail’s re-structuring of the service has seen longer delivery routes brought in.

However, the union adds, postal workers are not being given any more time to deal with the extra workload.

Royal Mail apologised to those experiencing problems with the service.

It said the issue is down to a larger than usual number of vacancies, adding that efforts are ongoing to recruit more workers.

Cllr Keith said: “I know myself I’m not getting a regular daily delivery.

“It comes about once a week, and that seems to be common for lots of folk.

“People have been missing medical appointments because of it.

“By the time they get their letter through the appointment’s been and gone, and it’s a problem for patients.

“This is not an attack on the posties themselves, they are doing a job in difficult circumstances.

“But routes are not being covered properly.”

Roz White, chairwoman of the Highland branch of the CWU said the problem related to Royal Mail’s restructure of the business.

It means posties are expected to deliver more letters and parcels over longer routes in less time.

She said: “Hundreds of working hours are being cut.

“Postal workers are doing their best to deliver as much mail as they can possibly get through under adverse conditions.

“The current management approach is aggressive, confrontational and anti-cooperation, even when it’s not in their best interest.”