POST TRAUMATIC
Apology to cancer man after mail blunder
APENSIONER battling cancer didn’t get a vital letter after a post bungle.
Mail chiefs have apologised to the 75-year-old, saying new postmen were confused about their deliveries.
MAIL bosses have apologised after a Glasgow pensioner almost missed a crucial cancer appointment due to a delivery blunder.
David Holland, 75, only found out he was due to have an important scan to monitor his illness the day before the appointment because he didn’t receive the letter.
The OAP, who lives in Manswood in the South Side, says he only found out he was scheduled to have an MRI – which has an average six-week waiting time – after receiving a phonecall reminder from the NHS.
Royal Mail blamed new delivery staff for the error who were, “finding it difficult to marry mail to residents.”
They said posties had now been given additional training to try to improve the delivery service.
Figures show around half a million letters a week across the UK are lost or arrive late.
Mr Holland said: “I have lived at the same address for the last 23 years.
“I received a phone call from the NHS advising me of an appointment the next day.
“They said I should have received an appointment letter but I hadn’t and this was the first I was made aware of my appointment.
“This letter in particular was for an MRI scan which was crucial in helping me fight cancer.
“The waiting times for these scans is six weeks so if I never made my appointment it would have been 12 weeks before I would have been seen to. As someone fighting cancer that thought is terrifying.”
The pensioner said he became stressed that he had missed other appointments and says there were problems with other mail including bank letters.
A spokeswoman for Royal Mail said: “Royal Mail has investigated this matter and we apologise for any inconvenience or distress this has caused the customer.
“The issues Mr Holland has experienced are because new delivery postmen are on his delivery route and are finding it difficult to marry mail to residents.
“Postmen on the route have been briefed about this issue to try and improve deliveries. We have briefed staff and revised training.”
A spokeswoman for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said: “Patients will either be given an automated telephone call or consent to allow us to send a reminder text to their mobile phone.”