Five ways NHS Trusts can adapt patient communications to postal reforms
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NHS Trusts are being encouraged to review their approach to patient communications as reforms to Royal Mail's postal service are rolled out, with the changes due to be fully implemented across the UK by December 2026.
The Royal Mail reforms will see Second Class and other non-First Class letters delivered every other weekday, with the aim for second-class mail to be delivered within three weekdays. The changes form part of a wider modernisation of Royal Mail, as the number of letters being posted each week has reduced.
The changes also come as NHS England introduces new minimum standards for patient experience, designed to improve how patients receive information and manage their care. The eight standards include giving patients at least three weeks' notice of planned appointments, where clinically appropriate, and keeping people informed while they wait for care.
At the same time, research commissioned by Royal Mail found 55% of people said their preferred NHS communication for information on their first appointment is still by post, with 52% viewing it as the most trusted method of communication.
Tom Baldock, managing director of outbound communications at Restore Information Management, says the reforms provide an opportunity for NHS Trusts to review how they balance postal and digital communications.
He said: "The changes to Royal Mail, combined with NHS England's new standards, should prompt the NHS Trusts to look at how they communicate with patients across different channels like post and SMS. Relying on a single channel for time-sensitive communications, such as appointment information, can create unnecessary risk.
"The reforms bring an opportunity for NHS Trusts to accelerate the shift to a flexible, hybrid communications model that combines the trust and accessibility of physical mail with the speed and convenience of digital communications.
"Rather than replacing post altogether, NHS Trusts should use the changes as an opportunity to create a strategy that allows each channel to work where it is most effective for the patient."
Here are five steps NHS Trusts can take to adapt patient communications to the reforms.
1. Put the patient’s choice at the centre of communications
It's crucial that NHS Trusts keep up-to-date records of patients' communication preferences, rather than assuming one channel will work for everyone. Preferences can change over time, so Trusts should give patients regular opportunities to update them.
Once an audit on patient preferences is complete, the information should be made available to all relevant departments across the Trust. This will support smoother communication if a patient moves between departments and provide a more consistent patient experience.
Trusts may see more patients opting for SMS or in-app notifications as digital services become more familiar. However, transformation must not exclude patients who continue to rely on post, making accurate preference data essential.
2. Design communications around the patient’s journey
Given the changes to postal delivery schedules, NHS Trusts should map each stage of the appointment journey, from confirmation through to the patient’s arrival.
Trusts should consider issuing letters earlier to reflect revised delivery times. They should assess whether the expected arrival date gives patients sufficient time to confirm their appointment, arrange transport or cancel and rearrange it if necessary.
A review of different types of NHS communication is recommended, to identify what is most time-sensitive and should be prioritised, and which communications are less sensitive to changes in delivery schedules.
3. Adopt a hybrid communications strategy
Digital communications can reduce reliance on post, but a digital-only approach will not work for every patient. A hybrid strategy will allow for each communication to be delivered according to its urgency and in line with what the patient prefers.
For example, a Trust could send a letter to a patient with appointment information and provide a reminder notification through the NHS app. This gives the patient a physical record of the information, while helping them become more familiar with receiving digital communications from the NHS.
A hybrid strategy can support the NHS's wider digital transformation while allowing Trusts to make changes at a pace that minimises disruption for patients.
4. Make digital communications easy to recognise and trust
Recent research by Royal Mail found 52% of people said the post is their most trusted form of communication, while 33% said mail doesn’t feel ‘scam-like’. If NHS Trusts want more patients to switch to digital communications, they must make digital messages feel trustworthy and safe to open.
Unexpected texts containing links may raise alarm bells as they could be mistaken for a phishing attempt. Trusts should use consistent NHS branding, a recognisable sender name and plain language that clearly explains why the patient is being contacted.
If a message contains a link, it should explain why, what action is required and where the patient can verify that the communication is genuine.
As postal delivery patterns change, it will become increasingly important that other NHS communication channels can provide the same sense of trust and certainty for patients.
5. Help patients make the transition to digital
As NHS Trusts increase their use of digital communications, they should clearly explain the options available to patients and ensure those who are less confident using digital services are supported.
Trusts should provide simple guidance on how patients can check an appointment, update their contact details or change their communication preferences. They should also make clear that patients who need or prefer postal communications will continue to be supported.
For more information, visit: https://www.restore.co.uk/informationmanagement/
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Editors notes
Restore Information Management is the largest UK-owned provider of information management services, specialising in secure physical document storage, digital transformation and data management.
Its solutions help organisations protect, transform and access their information seamlessly and efficiently. With a strong focus on innovation and customer-centric delivery, Restore Information Management enables businesses to streamline operations and remain competitive in a fast-moving digital landscape.
Restore Information Management is trusted by more than 6,000 clients across the UK, including more than 80% of NHS trusts. It is also a recognised leader in ESG, achieving a CDP ‘A rating’ in 2026, placing it in the top 4% of businesses in the UK for carbon reduction.
