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Protections on NHS letter delivery agreed between Royal Mail, National Voices and colleagues

After a years’ hard work behind the scenes, we are delighted to have secured an agreement with the Royal Mail to create a special new NHS barcode which will ensure NHS letters will be prioritised for delivery in times of service disruption, such as strikes or failure to meet delivery targets.

  • Communication and administration
  • Health inequalities
  • Hospital waiting lists
  • Primary care

We have also been supported by NHS England who has been working with Trusts to ensure they understand the different postal service options available to them to help reduce postal costs and, where needed, send out urgent letters using the most appropriate postal services so they arrive on time.

On 10 April 2024, Royal Mail, NHS England, NHS Providers, National Voices, Healthwatch England, and the Patients Association wrote an open letter to the postal regulator, Ofcom, highlighting the introduction of these new protections to ensure reliable and efficient postal service for NHS patients. The letter was timed to coincide with Ofcom closing its public consultation to reform the universal postal delivery service, with changes to be announced in summer. 

Speaking of the barcode system, the Secretary of State, Wes Streeting, told the Telegraph:

Too many patients have experienced the frustration of missing appointments because NHS letters arrive too late in the post. As we modernise the NHS and upgrade the NHS app, I’m aware some people will always prefer letters. The important thing is that people have a genuine choice. This agreement will help ensure patients get their appointment information when they need it, however they choose to receive it.

Since the beginning of the consultation, National Voices has worked with Royal Mail and the organisations listed above to ensure that proposed postal changes didn’t further exacerbate health inequalities by worsening delivery times. Last year, we were also able to secure coverage across the majority of national newspapers – including the Telegraph – about our concerns over the plan to delay delivery of bulk mail of NHS appointment letters. The then Health Secretary, Victoria Atkins, intervened to demand safeguards to NHS mail.

Jacob Lant, CEO of National Voices said:

Its vital that patients can chose how best to communicate with the NHS and for many postal letters are essential to how they do that, especially for those that may struggle to understand or access online alternatives such as the NHS app.

We know this Government is committed to reducing elective waiting times equitably and yet basic admin errors like delayed post can have a huge impact on whether this can be achieved. People with caring responsibilities, facing transport difficulties or with inflexible work roles need time to plan how to attend an appointment, so we hope this change in how Royal Mail manages NHS post will reduce the number of times patients hear about appointments or treatment when it is too late to attend.