RIP Royal Mail

[ECCOnoob]

4 hours ago, Draggletail said:

There are still older people who don't have computers or smartphones who rely on letters for their NHS hospital appointments.

 

 

I think we are a bit beyond the whole simplistic "what about the elderly" 

 

Email and the use of mobile phones has been in existence for more than a third of the average lifetime. There are plenty of elderly, more than capable and proven users of basic internet functions, text messaging, emails, smartphones.... Yes, there might be a very small number of exceptions who may still rely on hard copy post - but I simply don't believe that the NHS needs to be sending out the volume of letters it does particularly for confirming appointments and circulars when the majority of population, even significantly older persons would not be befuddled by getting a text message or email instead. 

 

Just sounds like too much of a cop out to me. I don't want to learn and adapt is very different to I can't learn an adapt.  This is not newfangled tech anymore.

 

Home email programs were becoming commonplace by 1995. Text messaging by by 2000. Even the first generation of the iPhone has been in existence since 2007. 

 

Plenty of the older folks miraculously were able to cope with NHS apps during covid and QR codes. They learnt. Is it really so hard for them to get an appointment letter by  electronic means.   They coped perfectly well when pensions changed to electronic payments. They managed to cope with their plastic cards replacing passbooks, ATMs replacing bank cashiers, chip and pin replacing cheque books......

 

Times move on. 

Edited September 11 by ECCOnoob

[cressida]

I find that if I'm not doing say, texting, regularly,  then I have to relearn how to,  

[Resident]

On 30/05/2024 at 09:29, SheffieldForum said:

Royal Mail is one of those things we take for granted and don’t really notice it until it is gone.

 

When your post doesn’t turn up for a few days you’ll definitely notice it — when they cut back on deliveries you’ll definitely notice it — when something goes wrong and you miss an urgent appointment letter or bill and then you can’t get hold of anyone to try and find out what’s happening, then you’ll definitely notice it.

Bills are mainly online now as are appointments. If I have an urgent appointment then I get an automated phone call reminding me. 
 

12 hours ago, The_DADDY said:

Probably not matey. I can't imagine they'd set someone on knowing they will be firing them. 

You say that but I've known people being hired up to the week before a business has gone under. Senior leaders won't tell lower departments to stop hiring because it creates a panicked workforce