How the Queen's funeral will impact healthcare in Greater Manchester with cancelled appointments and surgeries

Hospital appointments and non-urgent surgical procedures across Greater Manchester on the day of Queen Elizabeth II's funeral next Monday are expected to be hit by cancellations, health bosses have said. But they confirmed planned surgeries for 'urgent cases' were still expected to go ahead on the day.

It follows reports that some NHS trusts have already cancelled elective and non-urgent hospital surgeries on Monday, September 19 - a bank holiday - with letters sent to patients already frustrated by long hold delays as waiting lists hit record highs nationally.

NHS bosses in Greater Manchester told the Manchester Evening News that affected patients would be 'contacted by telephone or post to reschedule their hospital appointment or procedure as soon as possible', saying the 'impact on services' was still being assessed.

NHS hospitals in England have been urged to contact all patients with appointments on Monday, whether or not their appointment has been postponed. Health chiefs here, however, said patients who don't hear anything should attend their hospital appointments as planned.

Some hospitals have said they will be operating as usual, while others have said that they will postpone some non-urgent appointments.

Health bosses, meanwhile, have been told they need to make sure patients can access care if GPs close on the day of the Queen's funeral.

NHS England has written to local and regional leaders saying that, while GP services will be able to close on the bank holiday, there needs to be 'sufficient' out-of-hours care for patients. It also asked for scheduled Covid booster care home visits to be carried out as planned and 'strongly' encouraged clinics due that day to stay open.

A separate letter sent to ICB