Hospital

In the coming weeks, the cancellations escalate. Many of the hospital's once bustling theatres grind to a halt. Surgeons such as orthopaedic consultant Peter James, are left with little to do as hundreds of elective operations are cancelled.

Head and neck surgeon David Grant returns from annual leave to find his surgical list has snowballed. He's one of only two consultant surgeons at Nottingham University Hospitals' busy cancer head and neck service.

Patients who may have already waited months for surgery are left not knowing whether their operations will take place any time soon. Fifty-five-year-old Val is one such patient, and surgery will transform Val's life - but with the new NHS ruling in place it cannot be deemed clinically urgent and should be cancelled.

Lack of children's intensive care beds is a nationwide problem. Four-year old Esme is rushed to Queens Medical Centre from Hull 90 miles away when her closest intensive care units in Leeds and Sheffield are both completely full.

Ninety-three-year-old Ray is one of the patients that doctors have assessed to be well enough to leave but who is stuck in hospital. Ray has dementia and will need a complex package of care to help him once he is back at home.

The critical care unit at Nottingham University Hospitals takes care of the Trust's sickest patients. Although it has 58 beds, on most days it is completely full.