Some acute heart patients are waiting weeks in hospital for an operation, too sick to go home but unable to get their surgery.
Hospitals are under huge pressure with staff shortages, Covid-19 and winter illnesses and the stress is also being felt in intensive care.
Most hospitals have been delaying non-urgent surgery to cope.
But cardiologist Selwyn Wong, who also chairs the Cardiac Society, says urgent procedures are also being delayed.
He spoke to Corin Dann.