Mother Forced to Pay for Private Heart Surgery Due to Royal Mail Delays

A mother of two was compelled to spend £13,500 of her inheritance on private heart surgery because a crucial NHS appointment letter, offering the same procedure for free, arrived three days after her operation due to Royal Mail delivery delays. Wendy Worth, 62, opted for private treatment at Gloucester Royal Hospital on July 22 after fearing her heart condition would not allow her to wait for the NHS.

She had a coronary angioplasty to fit a stent in her left ventricle. However, a second-class letter, dated July 9, arrived on July 25, informing her she could have the surgery on August 3 at no cost through the National Health Service. The delays were attributed to staff and resourcing pressures at Royal Mail depots in Gloucester.

Worth, an administrative assistant, stated that test results had indicated her left ventricle was almost completely blocked. She decided to pursue private surgery after not hearing from the NHS about her procedure. "I knew that I was bad, I could feel that I was bad, so I paid thirteen thousand odd pounds, had my operation and then three days after my procedure I got the letter from the NHS saying that I could go in," she told the Daily Mail. "It's shocking and almost cruel in the fact that it arrived so soon after I had the operation. I just couldn't believe it."

The letter arrived with other mail, including overdue birthday and graduation cards. Notably, the NHS did not contact Worth between July 9 and August 3 to confirm her appointment. Compounding her frustration, Worth's private procedure was performed at the NHS-run Gloucester Royal Hospital by NHS doctors.

Following the incident, Royal Mail and Alex McIntyre, the Member of Parliament for Gloucester, held a meeting with affected residents. Worth claimed Royal Mail indicated by September 10 she would see significant improvements in delivery times, but she reported conditions have worsened. McIntyre acknowledged the situation was unacceptable and that Royal Mail owed Worth an apology, adding that many individuals across the country are experiencing delays with important mail, including medical letters.

A Royal Mail spokesperson expressed regret for the customer's experience and stated they are investigating. "We know how important it is that our customers receive their mail when expected, particularly important items like hospital letters, and take concerns of this nature very seriously," the spokesperson said. They added that 93% of letters are delivered on time nationally, with over 99% delivered within a week. Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust apologized for the delayed letter and noted that they have since implemented additional checks, including contacting patients who have not confirmed appointments in the week prior to their procedure, to mitigate such issues.