# DPD courier who was fined for day off to see doctor dies from diabetes



## Northerner (Feb 5, 2018)

A courier for the parcel giant DPD who was fined for attending a medical appointment to treat his diabetes collapsed and died of the disease, it has emerged. Don Lane, 53, from Christchurch in Dorset, 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, his widow has told the Guardian.

DPD delivers parcels for Marks & Spencer, Amazon and John Lewis but only pays couriers per parcel delivered. It treats them as self-employed franchisees and they receive no sick or holiday pay. The company’s system of charging drivers if they cannot cover their round has been described as appalling by the chairman of the House of Commons’ work and pensions committee, Frank Field.

Lane had collapsed twice, including once into a diabetic coma while at the wheel of his DPD van during deliveries, when the company fined him in July after he went to see a specialist about eye damage caused by diabetes. He collapsed again in September and finally in late December having worked through illness during the Christmas rush. He died at the Royal Bournemouth hospital on 4 January, leaving behind a widow, Ruth, and a 22-year-old son. He had worked for DPD for 19 years.

https://www.theguardian.com/busines...-for-day-off-to-see-doctor-dies-from-diabetes


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## Sally71 (Feb 5, 2018)

I've always sing DPD's praises on here, from a customer point of view anyway.  I've gone off them a bit now


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## Northerner (Feb 5, 2018)

Sally71 said:


> I've always sing DPD's praises on here, from a customer point of view anyway.  I've gone off them a bit now


I feel exactly the same @Sally71  I didn't realise they operated that model. It's just wrong to say that these people aren't employees, especially like this man who had worked for them for 19 years


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## pav (Feb 5, 2018)

Disgusting DPD should be made liable for the suffering they have caused.


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## mikeyB (Feb 5, 2018)

I have been fully aware of the business model that DPD and others use. I don’t experience it, because they don’t cross water. 

The rationale of the system, the companies say, is it costs money to replace drivers. This, of course, is sophistry. It’s slavery, pure and simple.


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## Pine Marten (Feb 5, 2018)

Good grief, I am gobsmacked. I knew some courier companies were bad, but..... the poor man. RIP, Don Lane


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## HOBIE (Feb 5, 2018)

I am Self-Employed. I take un paid time off work to see my Drs. Why did he not take a days holiday to see his Dr ?  I think its another way to sell papers ?  Sorry for Mr Lane.


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## Amigo (Feb 5, 2018)

HOBIE said:


> I am Self-Employed. I take un paid time off work to see my Drs. Why did he not take a days holiday to see his Dr ?  I think its another way to sell papers ?  Sorry for Mr Lane.



I doubt you are paid the pittance he was Hobie as a franchised delivery driver who was only ‘self employed’ because the penny pinching company wouldn’t give him a proper contract of employment. You can choose when you take time off...he couldn’t! You’re comparing apples with oranges.


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