NHS to be given its own postage class in bid to stop missed appointments

The NHS will soon implement its own dedicated postage class as part of a new initiative aimed at reducing the number of missed medical appointments caused by delayed mail. Health Secretary Wes Streeting announced that the NHS and Royal Mail have reached an agreement to introduce a new barcode system specifically designed for NHS correspondence. This system will help ensure that important letters, such as appointment notifications, are processed and delivered more efficiently.

According to a letter to Ofcom—seen by The Telegraph and co-signed by both NHS and Royal Mail leaders—the new NHS-specific barcode will identify and separate medical or appointment-related letters from standard mail. This prioritization will allow these items to be fast-tracked through the postal system, helping ensure patients receive critical information on time. Notably, this system will continue to operate even during periods of national disruption, such as postal strikes, when Royal Mail is unable to maintain its usual service standards.

Wes Streeting commented: “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 that some patients 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.”

Professor Sir Stephen Powis, the NHS medical director, also welcomed the move, stating that the changes will “help ensure that patients always receive the vital information necessary for them to access NHS services they need, as quickly as possible and even in times of disruption.”

The move represents a broader push to modernise communication within the NHS while still accommodating the preferences of patients who rely on traditional mail.