Plans for Royal Mail delivery cuts could risk patient safety, NHS leaders warn

The proposals are part of wider changes announced by International Distributions Services, including cuts of up to 9,000 postal routes. Photograph: Rui Vieira/PA

NHS leaders have warned that Royal Mail’s plans to cut second-class deliveries to two days a week could risk patient safety.

The changes are part of wider measures announced by Royal Mail’s parent company, International Distributions Services (IDS), including cuts of up to 9,000 routes, which could take more than two years to implement, saving £300m a year. IDS has assured the Royal Mail workforce that there will be no compulsory redundancies and they will request only 100 voluntary redundancies.