There are so many things as a GP that we cannot access day to day since the NHS focused on Covid in March. The list is endless, my patients have suffered... These are not real patients, but real scenarios I have faced since March. Imagine....

1. You are in your 70's and had a fall and rendered your shoulder unusable with a rotator cuff injury. You need a steroid injection; i can't refer you because that service is not open currently. You pay to go privately because you can't function in simple personal activities

2. You are 38 & have been trying desperately for a child. We have done the work up for the fertility clinic & you know the wait list is very long (6m +). I refer you and it gets rejected; 'we are not accepting new referrals due to covid for at least 3m". Thats your valuable time

3. You have an appointment to discuss your knee replacement. Your mobility is so compromised you can't walk to the end of the road. The appointment is rescheduled for 6m. You are trapped indoors; gaining weight, mood deteriorating, can't visit friends/relatives.

4. You spend 3 days in labour but your partner can only come for the last few hours to delivery. He can only stay for an hour after. Baby goes to NICU for a week and you stay in but partner is not allowed back AT ALL to visit you or new baby. You have PTSD from the experience.

5. You go for your 8 week pregnancy scan and tragically the baby has died and there is no heartbeat. You are on your own for this news because your partner was not allowed to come to the scan.

6. You are shielding at home alone. Your only contact with the outside world is via telephone and you have a recurring ear wax problem meaning you can't hear/use the phone. I can't get your ears syringed. You have pay to have it done privately if you want it.

7. You have been having chemo for terminal but controlled cancer. You are due a scan to check control in March. You receive a phone call to say that you are 'no longer a candidate for treatment' due to covid. You spend the next 4m of your life shielding, not living.

8. You have a vaginal prolapse. Your ring pessary needed changing in March. It has been cancelled. Things are deteriorating. You have to go to the toilet 10x a night and worsening. You are exhausted, in pain and no new date to change it.

9. The the date for the scheduled hysterectomy which will sort the problem more permanently is cancelled indefinitely.

10. You are waiting for a cataract operation. The pre appointment was May. It has been rescheduled for March. You can't drive, you can't work. Your anxiety is spiralling.

11. You need a Mirena coil fitted for your HRT. You can't use other methods because they are not working and you are bleeding. Your symptoms are debilitating so you need HRT just to function. Sexual Health services for this closed.

12. You are disabled by a specific mental health issue. I manage to get a referral accepted into the best clinic for this in London, out of area, so not easy. Appointment cancelled and will not give a date for resumption of services. Your mental health is deteriorating.

13. You have been told that your hip surgery can't be scheduled currently because the list is now so long. Meanwhile you can't exercise, shop, go upstairs at home.

For clarity; I can always get 2 week wait cancer referrals accepted and patients seen within 2 weeks. This has been the case throughout. But just because it isn't cancer and it may sound trivial, there is an individual suffering and for them it is often life changing.