A top surgeon has said the NHS was already being forced to axe non-urgent treatments as it sees more Covid patients and administers more jabs.
Richard Dias is a consultant surgeon at the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust and coordinates best practice with other surgery departments at hospitals around the UK.
He told the Mirror staff are "exhausted" and have not had chance to recover since the last coronavirus wave.
The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust has not cancelled its elective procedures.
Mr Dias said: "Lots of hospitals have already cancelled elective procedures until the new year and even past that.
"You have to start making a plan in case things go crazy again like last year.
"People were already looking at putting elective on hold because you have to put all your resources in one place.
"It is difficult for staff. Myself, I have 60 days leave to take by March, because I had to carry some over from last year and the year before.
"When do you take it? Because if I take my leave I don't see my patients.
"Staff are tired. What people tend to think is 'right, we'll ride this wave and then we'll have some rest'.
"When you ride the wave and then your next challenge comes - catching up with treatments and everything that has been on the back burner.
"So you say 'ok, I'll try and get all my patients done and sort them out', but then you go in to the next wave.
"A lot of people are exhausted and tired."
