The NHS has cancelled thousands of appointments scheduled to take place on the 19th of September - the day of the Queen's funeral - after it was announced it will be a bank holiday.
But, while many are unhappy with the last-minute cancellations and resulting inconvenience, it appears that the biggest effects of these cancellations will lie on disabled people and those with long term illness, currently receiving treatment.
When living with health conditions, one missed or delayed appointment can have tangible effects.
Andy Mobbs, who lives with multiple long-term health conditions, found out his appointment was cancelled over the phone. Andy was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when he was 13 and suffers from multiple autoimmune diseases, including relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (MS).
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The 48-year-old from Norfolk lives with frequent pain and fatigue and a skin condition means he often feels too self-conscious to go out and about.
He said: "Sometimes I avoid going places and I always have to take my medication with me, take my insulin. It is so much effort to do stuff and I feel tired most of the time and motivation is very hard to find."
Andy admitted feeling annoyed when he found out his routine appointment with his MS nurse would not go ahead on Monday.
He told the Mirror: "I was sort of looking forward to the appointment so I can talk about stuff. Things have changed since I last spoke to them, I am very tired and I am limited to what I can do."
He added: "My mental health has also suffered and I wanted to speak to them about this."
Andy went on to explain that due to the nature of his condition, he may experience new symptoms at any moment. A new weakness in his leg has left him feeling unconfident and having to take extra care, but until he sees his specialist, he cannot receive treatment for this.
He said: "I didn’t think [the Queen’s death] would affect hospitals. I respect the Queen but life must go on. I am probably going to have to wait a month or longer to see my specialist now."
Meanwhile Talia Jenkins, from South Wales, will also suffer the effects of the cancellations on Monday. The 28-year-old lives with a number of health conditions including scoliosis, chronic pain, heart problems and severe acne, as well as depression and anxiety.
She said: "My health problems fluctuate in severity from day to day, and some days I can be completely debilitated by my pain and exhaustion, which has a huge effect on my mood. I also worry a lot more about my health since it deteriorated."
Talia attends routine appointments with her dermatologist after being put on a strong medication to treat her acne.
The drug can cause a number of serious side effects including liver problems, muscle weakness and stomach issues, as well as serious mental health effects such as self-harm and suicidal thoughts. It is essential that patients on the medicine are frequently monitored by specialists.
Talia said: "I got a voicemail from a hospital receptionist telling me that my appointment had been cancelled, with no rescheduled date."
Along with her other complex health issues, this has caused extreme worry for Talia who told the Mirror: "The cancellation means that I don’t know whether my body is coping well with my tablets."
Andy and Talia are not the only ones to express their concerns about the cancellations, with many taking to Twitter to vent their feelings.
One user wrote: "Tom's been waiting over 6 months to see surgeon he’s been bed-bound the entire time. Finally got appointment for next Monday but today cancelled due to funeral."
Another said: "Last minute changes are so hard for my boy. A cancelled appointment may not seem much but the days of planning, gearing up, changes to literally the whole day all take their toll. It's exhausting for him and for us. A very quick cancellation for them."
Huge delays and waiting lists are already affecting the NHS, and many are worried that these cancellations could contribute to the backlog of patients waiting for operations, treatments and appointments.
With a disproportionate impact of the bank holiday cancellations landing on those with disability and chronic illness, it is clear that despite many people wanting to honour the Queen, the surprise bank holiday may have lasting effects on many.
While the GMC declined to comment on the subject, an NHS spokesperson said: "As with any Bank Holiday, NHS staff will work to ensure that urgent and emergency services, including urgent dental and GP appointments, are available — and patients will be contacted by their local trusts, if necessary, regarding their existing appointments.
"Covid vaccination services, particularly in care homes, are being asked to continue their work given the importance of protecting people ahead of winter and the public should access NHS services in the usual way, including through 111 online or 999 in an emergency."
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