High acuity scheduled admissions (the majority of which are urgent), which are already being curtailed, will also be adversely affected, with a direct impact on medical and surgical procedures. This will inevitably mean potential delays in diagnosis of medical conditions, in the performance of necessary operations (such as cancer surgery and major cardio-vascular treatments) and in the treatment of the sick with consequent unnecessary morbidity because they cannot get into hospital, including disability, deformity and pain (with reduced quality of life).