Cllr Sarah Murray and Worcester MP demand urgent action over “distressing” Royal Mail delays

An urgent meeting has been held at Worcester’s Royal Mail delivery office to address ongoing postal delays described by local representatives as “distressing”, with concerns raised over missed hospital appointments, delayed NHS letters and growing anxiety among residents.

Worcester MP Tom Collins and Liberal Democrat councillor Sarah Murray met with Royal Mail representatives on Friday at the Warndon delivery office to discuss the continuing problems affecting post across the city.

The meeting comes after months of complaints from residents reporting significant delays to important correspondence, including hospital appointment letters, test results and financial documents. In some cases, NHS letters have reportedly arrived weeks late, forcing Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust to rely more heavily on text messaging and digital communication to contact patients.

Cllr Sarah Murray, who represents St Nicholas in Warndon Villages, said she has been contacted by residents across Worcester and beyond who are experiencing unacceptable delays.

She said:

“Tom Collins MP and I met with Royal Mail to raise the concerns so many residents have shared with us about delayed post.

While we saw delivery frames that were clear, we’re disappointed that Royal Mail did not acknowledge the wider problems residents have experienced or set out a clear plan to rebuild confidence in the service.

A further meeting has been arranged for later in August, and we’ll continue pressing for answers.

If you’re still experiencing significant postal delays, please report them to Tom Collins MP’s office. Keeping reports together in one place will help us present the strongest possible evidence at our next meeting with Royal Mail.”

Following the meeting, Cllr Murray said she and the MP will continue pressing Royal Mail for a clear plan to improve performance and restore confidence in the service.

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust has previously confirmed it is adapting its communication methods in response to postal delays, including increased use of text messaging and digital contact with patients.

Royal Mail has defended its performance, stating that 92 per cent of letters are delivered on time and highlighting ongoing investment of £500 million nationally over the next five years to improve reliability.

However, some residents say their experience does not reflect those figures. One resident previously described receiving a condolence card from his vet five weeks after the death of his dog Barney, and said he now increasingly relies on the NHS app due to unreliable post.

Worcester Liberal Democrats will continue to monitor the situation closely and press for urgent improvements to the postal service across the city.