Royal Mail delays cause pensioner’s crucial surgery info to be late

86-year-old Nina Pullen, of Hillworth Road in Devizes, had been in and out of Salisbury Hospital since May, after falling from the attic last year, and was due to receive the details of her final operation at the end of June.

But after over a week of waiting she had still not received the letter and was forced to call the hospital to track down the information.

The documents were resent and reached Mrs Pullen before the original letter, sent on June 28, finally arrived on Thursday, July 13.

This comes after Mrs Pullen’s husband, David, waited 13 days for information about a cataract operation which came two days after the surgery.

While the pair avoided missing their crucial appointments by ringing the hospital, they have been left dissatisfied with the postal service.

Mrs Pullen said: “That’s two operations we would’ve missed and we’re getting a maximum of two or three post deliveries a week.

“I don’t know what’s going on and it’s a bit worrying. My health issues have been going on for a long time and I really don’t need the stress of not getting information I should have.

“I didn’t get the original letter until three days after the operation had been done which is ridiculous, it’s been tiring enough without the post office playing up.”

Royal Mail admitted that there had been delays at local delivery offices in the Devizes area over recent weeks but added that they are committed to improving service levels.

A spokesperson for the service said: “We are sorry to any residents who have experienced delays in the Devizes area. Improving our quality of service is our top priority and we are committed to restoring service levels to where our customers expect them to be.

“There have been some delays to deliveries at our local delivery office, however every effort is being made to keep these delays to a minimum. 

“We are doing everything possible to ensure mail continues to be delivered on time six days a week, and anyone who does not receive their mail on the day they expect is always prioritised the following day.

“Across our business, we have plans in place to drive service levels at our delivery offices, we hope and expect to see further progress in the coming months.”