Sarah, a patient from the north-west of England, said she was due to have a hysterectomy – an operation to remove her uterus – on Monday but it had been cancelled for a second time.
“They don’t have a rescheduled date for me at this time,” she said. “It’s very hard when you have been mentally preparing yourself for major surgery, especially as I was first told that I needed one in November 2024.”
Andrew Mundy, 58, from Lincoln, expressed fears that repeated delays to his tendon surgery could leave him permanently injured.
He injured his knee in early February and was given an initial date for surgery at the end of May, which he said was cancelled because the consultant was on holiday.
The surgery was rearranged for Friday but was cancelled because of the strike, he said.
“I am furious and aware that every delay in surgery will make the chances of a successful repair even less likely,” he said.
“It is not fair that I may never recover from this injury due to delays in treatment.
“It’s frustrating because [the NHS] say that they are not cancelling stuff and things are running as normal, but they are cancelling stuff.”
Claudia, 44, from Maidstone, said she had been waiting for more than a year to have her gallbladder removed. Her operation has also been cancelled.
“Now I’ve been told I need another assessment, and the next appointment isn’t until next month,” she said.
“Meanwhile, I’m still on daily medication to manage constant pain and symptoms.
“I’ve had to stick to a strict diet just to avoid flare-ups and have lost 15kg because of it.
“This is beyond frustrating. How can something marked as urgent be delayed for so long? I feel completely ignored.
“People shouldn’t be left to suffer like this while stuck in the system.”