 The COVID-19 pandemic caused a significant disruption to elective surgery in the UK, resulting in the cancellation or postponement of most planned surgeries in March 2020. To cope with this situation, staff had to rapidly adjust their services and implement new procedures. This required them to be flexible and adaptable, while also being able to make quick decisions on how to prioritize patients and manage resources. Despite these challenges, staff were able to successfully reorganize their services and ensure patient safety. This article was authored by Georgina Singleton, Ana Daurek, Luisa Manbi, and others.