The First Minister has sought answers from Royal Mail bosses as to why people in Inverclyde have missed NHS appointments due to lengthy delays in receiving their mail – after Stuart McMillan MSP raised these issues during First Minister’s Questions.
The local SNP MSP outlined the issues facing his constituents in the Scottish Parliament on Thursday 18 December after almost 100 people contacted him within 48 hours to say they’d not received post for several weeks. This included cancer patients and people awaiting surgery.
The total number of constituents to contact Stuart’s office is now 161 – which doesn’t include social media contacts.
The First Minister committed to liaising with the Royal Mail regarding Stuart’s concerns, and the Health Secretary has now provided Stuart with a response following the FM’s visit to Glasgow sorting office on 22 December.
The response highlights the Waiting Times Guidance, whereby patients must be given at least 10 calendar days’ notice for an appointment offer. It also notes that some Health Boards use third-party providers before letters reach Royal Mail, which can introduce additional delays.
Despite the First Minister receiving reassurances that postal staff prioritise NHS letters wherever possible, the Health Secretary has asked the Chief Operating Officer to raise this matter through the waiting times programme board to ensure that appointment letters include the use of the Royal Mail NHS specific barcode, which helps prioritise delivery.
Commenting, Stuart said:
“During my visit to the Royal Mail’s Greenock Delivery Office, I was told that health boards can use a specific barcode system which helps postal staff easily identify NHS letters and prioritise delivery.
“Unfortunately, I was informed that NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde have not opted to utilise this system – so I have raised this matter with the health board as it would help postal workers ensure these letters are treated accordingly, particularly when the demands upon the service are so high in the run-up to Christmas.
“I therefore welcome the confirmation from the Health Secretary that this matter will also be addressed by the waiting times programme board so that, hopefully, all health boards across Scotland sign up to this system.
“If any of my constituents have missed health appointments due to postal issues and have been penalised for doing so, whether that’s being charged for missing the appointment or being removed from waiting lists, please contact my office. I want to ensure no one’s healthcare is affected by these issues.
“In the New Year, I’ll also be seeking a meeting with Royal Mail bosses to discuss their preparations for next Christmas. Clearly, if demand for parcel deliveries increased by 26% this year, the service must consider just how much additional capacity it’ll need to build into their business for 2026.”
