NHS communication

SIR – The claim by NHS and patientgroup chiefs that Royal Mail’s proposed changes to second-class deliveries will put patients’ safety at risk (Letters, April 6) exemplifies what is wrong with the management of the health service.

The proportion of patients who have no access to any form of IT is rapidly dwindling, and the majority of adults today are happy to communicate electronically.

The NHS should modernise and make electronic contact with patients the default, while ensuring there is an option to continue with post for those who need it.

This would hugely reduce the risk of patients missing appointments, as well as cutting postage costs. The savings could be used to pay for first-class post when required. Jos Binns

Malmesbury, Wiltshire

SIR – We have recently been receiving postal deliveries only once a week.

On Saturday there was a letter asking me to attend a cancer consultation – the previous day. The letter had been sent first-class well over a week ago.

Roll on prompt deliveries every second day. Paul S Thicke

Swindon, Wiltshire

SIR – I was dismayed by the letter from NHS management.

Having recently driven 40 miles to hospital for an appointment, I was asked: “Did you not get a letter cancelling it”?

I am a pensioner quite capable of operating the NHS app on my phone, and I could easily register my email address. The NHS could then send me “urgent” messages automatically and save millions of pounds at the same time. Steve Siddall

Holt, Wiltshire

SIR – In Sussex the NHS appears to have decided to tackle the problem of late letters. I have just been informed of my next eye appointment in Chichester (in three weeks’ time) on my mobile phone. Barrie Freeman

Arundel, West Sussex