With the day of the Queen's funeral being declared a bank holiday, patients fear vital hospital appointments will be cancelled.
Monday September 19 will be a national holiday to coincide with the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.
Approved by King Charles III, the day off will allow millions of workers to take time to watch the funeral and honour the memory of the late Queen.
However, annoucing a new bank holiday with short notice may result in hospital appointments being pushed back.
Website openDemocracy reports that thousands of appointments have already been cancelled, with some NHS trusts saying "non-urgent" procedures and clinic appointments should be postponed.
These include hip and knee replacements, cataract surgery, maternity checks, and even some cancer treatments.
READ MORE: ‘Thousands of hospital appointments cancelled’ due to the Queen’s funeral
According to the report, patients who waited months for treatment were told the delay was due to "unforeseen circumstances".
NHS England told openDemocracy the decision to postpone appointments is "for trusts to make locally".
In Southampton, NHS bosses say patients should attend as planned unless they hear otherwise.
A spokesperson for University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust said: "We are endeavouring to keep our services running as normal as best we can.
"Patients are being asked to still attend planned hospital appointments unless they hear differently, directly from us."
Employers will decide whether or not to offer their employees the day off.
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