The Royal Mail has said that it will have to raise prices for customers and cut costs amid the growing cost of living crisis.
After it was confirmed by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) yesterday that UK inflation has now risen to 9% – which is the highest the figure has been for the last 40 years – with prices hiked across a broad range of everyday goods and services during April, the Royal Mail has issued a statement this morning warning that it sees “significant headwinds” from rising costs – including wages, energy, and fuel.
In an attempt to bolster its position, the postal and courier service revealed that it aimed to make cost savings of £350 million over the course of its current financial year.
Today’s statement on price rises comes after the group already notably hiked the cost of posting letters by an average of around 7%, and parcel prices by an average of about 4% – which took the cost of a first-class stamp to 95p, and a second-class stamp to 68p.
But the Royal Mail says it still sees numerous threats from rising costs ahead, and claimed that it is now at a “crossroads”.
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The Royal Mail has said that it will have to raise prices for customers and cut costs / Credit: Geograph | Royal Mail
Explaining the current situation in its most-recent results statement, the Royal Mail said: “We are now at a crossroads.
“We need to deliver the benefits from change more quickly to deliver sustainable growth. We have made significant operational change already, but this needs to translate into real efficiency savings which deliver a financial benefit next year and beyond.
“Delivery of our existing agreements and the successful transition into the next agreements, as part of the current negotiations with the CWU, will be key to future profitable growth. We have made a substantial pay offer to our people which will enable the change we need to remain competitive, grow and secure their jobs for the future.
“Our market is changing quickly, and agility in our response is key.”
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The UK’s largest postal and courier service claimed it’s now at a “crossroads” / Credit: Royal Mail
Speaking more on the need to raise prices and cut costs going forward, Simon Thompson – Chief Executive at the Royal Mail – added: “As we emerge from the pandemic, the need to accelerate the transformation of our business, particularly in delivery, has become more urgent.
“Our future is as a parcels business, so we need to adapt old ways of working designed for letters and do it much more quickly to a world increasingly dominated by parcels.”
He added: “Our focus now is to work at pace with our people and our trade unions to reinvent this British icon for the next generations, so that we can give our customers what they want, grow our business sustainably and deliver long-term job security for our great team.
NHS releases list of first conditions set to be eligible for new ‘online hospital’
Emily Sergeant
The first conditions that are set to be eligible for video appointments via the new NHS online hospital have been revealed.
In case you hadn’t heard, back in September of last year, the Government has announced that the NHS would be setting up an ‘online hospital’ known simply as NHS Online – which will not have a physical site and instead digitally connect patients to expert clinicians anywhere across the country.
Ultimately, this means patients can be seen faster than normal, as teams triage them quickly through the NHS App and let them book in scans at times that suit them at centres closer to their home.
NHS Online – which will begin to see its first patients in 2027 – is expected to deliver the equivalent of up to 8.5 million virtual appointments and assessments in its first three years, according to the NHS, which is four times more than an average NHS trust.
And now, the NHS has selected nine ‘common’ conditions which will be the first to be treated by the NHS Online service.
📲 Introducing NHS Online 📲
A new digital hospital will transform healthcare.
From 2027, you'll be able to get specialist care:
✅ straight to your home via the NHS App ✅ faster than a traditional hospital appointment ✅ wherever you live in England
Women’s health issues, including severe menopause symptoms and menstrual problems that can be a sign of endometriosis or fibroids, will be among the conditions available for online referrals, as will prostate problems like prostate enlargement and a raised prostate specific antigen (PSA) level, along with eye conditions including cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration.
NHS Online will also provide support for other painful and distressing conditions, such as iron deficiency anaemia and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
So, how will NHS Online work then? Well, when a patient has an appointment with their GP, they will have the option of being referred to the online hospital for their specialist care instead, and then from there, they’ll be able to book directly through the NHS App.
Once referred to the online hospital, patients will have the ability to see specialists from around the country without leaving their home or having to wait longer for a face-to-face appointment.
The NHS has released a list of the first conditions set to be eligible for the new ‘online hospital’ / Credit: Nordwood Themes (via Unsplash) | rawpixel
If they need a scan, test, or procedure, then they’ll be able to book this in at a time that suits them at Community Diagnostic Centres closer to home.
Patients will also be able to track their prescriptions and get advice on managing their condition at home too.
“We’ve selected nine common conditions which the NHS Online service will initially provide support for when it launches next year, including some women’s health issues as well as prostate problems,” commented Professor Stella Vig, who is the National Clinical Director for Elective Care at NHS England.
“We know that these conditions can be painful and difficult to cope with so providing faster, more convenient access to diagnosis and treatments will have a real and positive impact on people’s lives.”
Junk food adverts are now banned on TV before 9pm in the UK to ‘protect’ kids’ health
Emily Sergeant
Junk food advertisements are now banned on television before 9pm in the UK in a bid to help protect children’s health.
In what is being considered a ‘landmark’ move by the Government, as of today, adverts for less-healthy food and drinks will be banned on television before 9pm and online at all times, as part of world-leading action that is expected to remove up to 7.2 billion calories from children’s diets each year, and reduce the number of children living with obesity by 20,000.
It’s also expected that this ‘decisive’ action will deliver around £2 billion in health benefits over time.
According to the Government, evidence shows that advertising influences what and when children eat – shaping their preferences from a young age, and ultimately increasing the risk of obesity and related illnesses.
At the start of primary school, 22.1% of children in England are overweight or living with obesity, and this rises to 35.8% by the time they leave.
Junk food adverts are now banned on TV before 9pm in the UK / Credit: Alan Hardman | Kobby Mendez (via Unsplash)
This change is part of a range of measures that the Government is taking to ‘lift children out of poverty’ and help give them the ‘best start’ in life – with other measures being the introduction of the Healthy Food Standard, and giving local authorities the power to stop fast food shops opening outside schools.
“We promised to do everything we can to give every child the best and healthiest start in life,” explained Health Minister Ashley Dalton, as the junk food advert ban comes into force.
“By restricting adverts for junk food before 9pm and banning paid adverts online, we can remove excessive exposure to unhealthy foods – making the healthy choice the easy choice for parents and children.
“We’re moving the dial from having the NHS treat sickness, to preventing it so people can lead healthier lives and so it can be there for us when we need it.”
Featured Image – Karolina Kołodziejczak (via Unsplash)
Emily Sergeant -
19th May 2022 
