People could miss vaccine letters over mail delivery problems: MLA
Magherafelt among UK areas experiencing a reduced postal service as Royal Mail staffing is hit by Covid-19
AN MLA has expressed concerns after it emerged parts of Co Londonderry have been included in the Royal Mail’s list of 28 UK areas suffering from limited delivery services as more of its workforce is affected by Covid-19.
Magherafelt ( BT45, BT46) joins 27 English towns that are no longer receiving regular post because of the high numbers of Royal Mail staff who are either off sick or self-isolating.
Affected areas include 13 in or near London, while others include Leeds in West Yorkshire, Chelmsford in Essex, Widnes in Cheshire and Margate in Kent.
With some affected residents complaining of not having had mail delivered for more than a month, fears have also arisen that elderly residents will not receive notifications of when a vaccine is available to them.
Mi d Ulster MLA Patsy Mcglone said: “I was deeply concerned to read reports that Magherafelt and Maghera districts are Royal Mail blackspots and are experiencing delays in receiving mail.
“While I recognise that Covid-19 has led to reduced staff numbers and online shopping has added significant pressure to Royal Mail, residents in BT45 and BT46 should receive their mail in a timely manner.
“While I acknowledge the hard work and long hours of local post workers, this situation is far from acceptable. I will be contacting Royal Mail to see what plans they can put in place to relieve the local pressure and provide some urgent clarity for residents.
“This situation would be distressing at any time, it is particularly worrying when many elderly residents are waiting on a letter informing them about the Covid vaccine.
“It is absolutely vital that the Northern Trust put in place a satisfactory means of communication, to ensure some of our most vulnerable citizens don’t miss out. Residents in South Derry desperately need clarity on this and I have already made representations to the Minister and Royal Mail.”
The issue has prompted calls, including from MPS and the Communication Workers Union (CWU), for postal workers to be added to the priority list of people receiving coronavirus vaccinations.
On its website, Royal Mail said it was “working hard to deliver the most comprehensive and high quality service we can to all our customers” despite the pandemic and the associated rise in pressure on delivery resources due to increased online shopping.
“The combination of greatly increased uptake of online shopping, and the ongoing Covid-19 restrictions, mean that all delivery companies are experiencing exceptionally high volumes,” the statement said. “Despite our best efforts and significant investment in extra resource, some customers may experience slightly longer delivery timescales than our usual service standards.
“This is due to the exceptionally high volumes we are seeing, exacerbated by the coronavirus-related measures we have put in place in local mail centres and delivery offices to keep our people and customers safe.”
On its website, Royal Mail advises people in the regions who have been left a “Something for you” card from the service to check its website to learn revised opening hours for when they can collect the item.
‘It is very worrying when elderly people are waiting on a letter informing them about vaccination’