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North Somerset MP Sadik Al-Hassan is encouraging residents to share their experiences of local postal services through a dedicated survey, to help ascertain the scale of the problems.
A spokesperson for Royal Mail said that the ‘vast majority’ of mail in North Somerset is delivered on time, and when it isn’t, it’s usually due to ‘staff absences’ or ‘winter weather’.
In December, the broadcasting regulator Ofcom found that 44% of consumers across the country reported experiencing a problem sending or receiving letters via Royal Mail.
Sadik said that he is particularly concerned with reports of delays to critical correspondence, such as NHS appointment letters.
He said: “It is not only routine letters and parcels that have reportedly been delayed – what particularly concerns me are the reports of delays to critical correspondence, such as NHS appointment letters.
“Many constituents still rely on paper correspondence to receive important information concerning their healthcare. As a pharmacist, I am deeply concerned about the knock-on impact these delays can have, increasing the risk of missed appointments and placing additional strain on our NHS.
“Our Posties are pillars of our community, working tirelessly in all weathers to deliver a vital service. It is important to look at the systemic issues in our postal system, staffing levels, and consider how we can better support our postal workers to ensure residents receive a consistent service that can be relied upon.
“I am due to meet with the CWU Branch Officer for the local area in the coming weeks, when I will be keen to hear their perspective.
“I encourage residents to complete my survey. A reliable and efficient postal service benefits everyone, and your feedback will help inform discussions about what needs to improve.”
A spokesperson for the Royal Mail said that most mail in North Somerset is delivered on time, but they will keep working hard to make sure that they stay reliable.
A Royal Mail spokesperson added: “We understand how important it is that letters, including NHS correspondence, arrive promptly, and how concerning any delay can be for customers.
“The vast majority of mail in North Somerset is delivered on time. Where short-term disruption does occur, it is usually limited to individual routes and can be caused by temporary factors such as sickness absence, resourcing pressures or winter weather. Local teams review performance daily and put additional support in place to restore regular deliveries as quickly as possible.
“We welcome the opportunity to speak with local representatives and will keep working hard to improve reliability for customers across North Somerset.”
