DPD issues statement after death of courier

DPD has hit the headlines after the wife of one of its couriers spoke out about the death of her husband Don Lane.

According to stories in The Guardian, The Sun, the Mirror, Daily Mail and The Independent, Mr Lane had been fined for taking a day off to attend a medical appoints to treat his diabetes.

His widow told The Guardian that Mr Lane missed appointments with specialists “because he felt under pressure to cover his round and faced DPD’s £150 daily penalties if he did not find cover”.

In a statement DPD has apologised for charging Mr Lane £150 after there was confusion around a doctor’s appointment he attended.

The full statement from DPD:

“We are devastated by the news of Donald Lane’s passing. Don worked with DPD for 19 years and was a much loved and valued member of our team. Don will be badly missed by everyone in the Bournemouth depot.

“Don worked as a self-employed driver for DPD as part of our franchisee driver programme, which has delivered huge benefits to thousands of drivers over the years.

“These drivers own their own franchise and run their own businesses. Franchisees are contracted to provide a service – they do not have to provide the service personally, and drivers have the option of providing a substitute driver in the event of sickness. Don was aware of the need to provide a substitute and used a substitute on a number of occasions. If the franchisee cannot provide a substitute, DPD will always try to reallocate the route among other franchisee or employed drivers.

“While DPD has the right, under the terms of the contract, to pass on to the franchisee the costs incurred if the company has to bring in additional drivers to provide services (usually £150), in 2017 we passed on these costs in only 4.6 per cent of the cases where franchisees did not provide service.

“We had been aware of Don’s health situation and we agreed to suspend his Agreement in 2014. Don chose to come back to DPD three months later. On his return, he was given a quiet, rural route with a relatively small number of daily deliveries. The route suited Don as it was convenient for his hospital appointments.

“In relation to Don’s poor health at the end of December 2016 and into January 2017, we refute the claim that he was under pressure and threatened with a £150 charge. We have correspondence confirming that Don had “no worries about being charged”.

“DPD was aware of the incident in January 2017 when Don collapsed while on deliveries. On his return to work after a number of days rest, the depot manager sat down with Don to discuss the incident. Don explained that it was caused by a change in his medication in relation to recent surgery on his ankle. He stated that the medication he was on had affected his diabetes and that the doctor had prescribed him different medication to resolve the issue. He declared himself fit to work. The depot didn’t charge Don for any of the time off.

“Clearly however, there was confusion around one particular appointment on 18 July 2017. Don attended his appointment, but it isn’t clear why he was then charged, when the charge hadn’t been applied at any other time. We got it wrong on that occasion, and for that we are profoundly sorry.

“During 2017 we continued to monitor Don’s health and spoke with him on several occasions to ensure that he was fine. Don continued to work his usual route. We were not made aware that Don had suffered another diabetic coma incident in September while not working.

“In the run up to Christmas it is normal in the industry for drivers to work additional days at the weekend and Don was working his normal route. We weren’t made aware that Don was feeling sick and vomiting up some blood at this time.

“We were shocked and hugely saddened by Don’s death and our thoughts go out to his family and friends at this difficult time.”