speaking to me earlier — chris hopson explained how much pressure the nhs was under.f the last five days we have had 1,000 more people with covid—19 in hospital compared to the day before, so you can see the number of hospitalisations beginning to rise. we're at 12,500 now which compares to 311,000 injanuary, this time last year, a year ago, but we need to remember how busy the nhs is with other care, so very busy accident and emergency care pathway, and we have those planned elective surgery cases which we can't delay any longer and we are going full pelt to extend the booster vaccine campaign. 0ur colleagues in social care have come under real pressure again. and then at the same time we have growing numbers of staff absences because of covid—19 so wherever you look, you have a care system under huge pressure, and clearly if the numbers of covid cases increase at the speed with which they are currently going up, that is obviously a concern, especially if it lasts for a long period of time. so, because of all those other factors, staff shortages, elective procedures,

chris hopson, the chief executive of nhs providers, which represents health trusts, says the governmentmust be ready to introduce new restrictions... ..if they're needed." latest figures show hospital admissions in england, have risen to their highest level since january last year. the health secretary, sajid javid, has warned new restrictions on freedom "must be an absolute last resort". here's our health correspondent, sophie hutchinson. a new year and with it, the hope that 2022 will draw us closer to the end of the pandemic. but once again, january is likely to see soaring infection rates. last night restrictions in some places and advice in others meant more subdued celebrations, but some were determined to celebrate. we have our boosters we've done our things, we followed the guidance. it is a funny one this year because we obviously want to stay safe but also in 15 years of living here i've never been and done the london fireworks so boris had a cheese and wine party so why can't i come and see the fireworks? come in and take a seat. some had resolved to get protected for the new

the times reports the comments from the head of nhs providers, chris hopson, who believes the "frontine of the service will hold", as there's growing hopes that we are past the omicron peak. the i says that the prime minister is planning to announce a "living with covid plan" by march, which could include winding down testing and the scrapping of free lateral flow tests. another of those measures is reported in the telegraph — reducing the covid isolation period from seven to five days, a measure which the chancellor supports. we were just saying nadhim zahawi also supports that. the mail has a warning from senior tory mps to borisjohnson — that he must tackle the cost of living crisis or face a backlash at the polls. the guardian leads on comments from fire safety campaigners, who say the housing secretary michael gove must spend more than the planned £4 billion to tackle the cladding crisis. the mirror has an exclusive report on what it calls "the sickening truth" behind the government's promise to "level up", featuring a yorkshire school which it says has no money for repairs. and

chris hopson is the chief executive of nhs providers and he's been speaking to hospital bosses, who are shortages. what we are seeing in the rest of the country is the same as we were seen in london, increasing numbers of people coming into hospital, increasing staff absences, and that's coming on top of a very significant amount of wider pressure. many of those cases done as possible but we simply have not been able to do that as a result of the arrival of omicron. so it will have an impact and we will need to work out what that impact is but there will be an impact. we are trying to extend it was the campaign and at the same time, no or social calculator under real, real pressure of the last couple of weeks because they have big staff absences but they are also now seeing outbreaks of omicron in care homes which means those care homes are closed to new residents so it is a concerning picture. professor clive kay is the chief executive of kings college hospital london, which employs around 14,000 staff. he said that there are around 500 people off at the moment — and while that may not

chris hopson is the chief executive of nhs providers and he's been speaking to hospital bosses, who arertages. pressure on the nhs is now spreading outside london. i think as we know, london has been the epicentre but it's been very striking talking to hospital chief executives over the last 2a hours about actually how that pressure is really, really mounting outside london. and there are three things going on at once. one is we are seeing rising numbers of covid patients coming into hospital, the second is the staff absences which in some trusts are causing a real, real problem and the third bit of course is this is against the backdrop of a very, very busy nhs and social care system where we have got a very busy urgent and emergency care pathway, all those cases, planned surgery cases we cannot delay any longer, that we're trying to at the same time extend the booster campaign and catch those people who haven't been boosted yet who ought to have been boosted, and we know at the same time our social care colleagues are under real, real pressure over the last couple of weeks because the

chris hopson is the chief executive of nhs providers. and hejoins us now. thank you for joining us.e summary of the latest pictures so would you mind telling us what your analysis is of where hospitals are right now? good morninu. where hospitals are right now? good morning- where _ where hospitals are right now? good morning. where i _ where hospitals are right now? good morning. where i think _ where hospitals are right now? (13mg. morning. where i think the nhs generally is at the moment is the pressure we have been experiencing in london over the last ten days is now spreading to the rest of the country. what we are seeing in the rest of the country is the same as we were seen in london, increasing numbers of people coming into hospital, increasing staff absences, and that's coming on top of a very significant amount of wider pressure. so you canjust, as i said, when you talk to hospital chief executives and acute mental health, ambulance, community chief executives, you feel the kind of pressure rising. there are some good news. the two or three bits of good news. the two or th

joining me now is chris hopson, chief executive of nhs providers, which represents hospitals, healthcareid that the numbers of people requiring care are going to go people requiring care are going to 9° up people requiring care are going to go up considerably in the next month, is that something you are bracing yourself for? we month, is that something you are bracing yourself for?— month, is that something you are bracing yourself for? we are already seeinu bracing yourself for? we are already seeing this. — bracing yourself for? we are already seeing this. if— bracing yourself for? we are already seeing this, if you _ bracing yourself for? we are already seeing this, if you look _ bracing yourself for? we are already seeing this, if you look over - bracing yourself for? we are already seeing this, if you look over each . seeing this, if you look over each of the last five days we have had a thousand more people with covid—19 in hospital compared to the day before, so you can see the number of hospitalisations beginning to rise. 12,500 now which compares to 311,000 injanuary, this time

chris hopson is the chief executive of nhs providers and he's been speaking to hospital bosses, who areings going on at once, we are seeing rising numbers of patients, staff absences as well which in some clusters causing a real problem on the third but of course as this is against the backdrop of a very, very busy nhs and social care system where we have got a very busy urgent and emergency pathway, so they cannot delay it any longer, and the same time extended booster campaign and catty people who have not been with the jet you ought to be boosted and at the same time, we know the social care colleagues are under real pressure over the last few weeks because they've got big staff absences but they've got big staff absences but they are also seeing outbreaks of 0micron in care homes which means the care homes are closed to new residents out as a concerning picture. professor clive kay is the chief executive of kings college hospital london. thanks forjoining us, what is the situation is your hospital in terms of staff absence?— situation is your hospital in terms of staff absence? well

these numbers are impacting the health service, we're joined by chief executive of nhs providers, chris hopsonst figures. we have run through them, but what do they tell us about them, but what do they tell us about the pictures in hospital right now? what they tell us is that actually, the pressure on the nhs is now spreading outside london. i think as we know, london has been at the centre of this but it has been very striking talking to chief execs over the last 2a hospital cheap hours, how that pressure is now mounting outside london. there are three things going on at once. number one, rising numbers of covid hospital patients, the second is the staff absences which are causing a real problem in some trusts, and this is against the backdrop of a very busy nhs and social care system where we have a very busy accident and emergency care pathway, and all of those cases of planned surgery which we cannot delay any longer but we are trying to extend the booster campaign at the same time and catch those people who have not been boosted and who ought to have been. and we know that our social car

chris hopson is the chief executive of nhs providers which represents hospital trusts in england.he scale of the _ your opinion? i think it captures the scale of the problem - your opinion? i think it captures the scale of the problem as - your opinion? i think it captures the scale of the problem as it i the scale of the problem as it currently exists. the issue is we are not absolutely sure how big this problem is going to be for two reasons. first of all, we still know there are people coming forward having delayed coming forward over the last 18 months. we still don't know if we are going to see more of those. secondly, we are in the middle of an incredible period of pressure for the nhs which started about one month or one and a half months ago. it will probably last for another month or month and a half. that by definition is going to have an impact in terms of the size of this problem, because we know there are already trust who at this very moment are, despite the very best efforts, they are having to a planned care. we don't know exactly what the size of this problem is a

it was only days ago that chris hopson said staff shortages in the nhs would soon overtake the issuein england if necessary, but at the moment no plan to move beyond plan b. thanks very much. time for a look at the weather now with matt. today came as a shock to the system after that exceptionally warm start of the year. temperatures were in the mid teens. this afternoon, barely a few degrees above freezing. that said, closer to how it should feel in january. cold conditions continue tonight. most snow showers across the north of scotland. more sleet and snow showers for northern ireland, wales, may be into north west midlands. away from that, clear skies. could be ice where the ground is wet. showers through the night, but then a frost returns to take us into wednesday morning. for many a crisp and sunny start. snow showers in the north of scotland. a few showers but not many across the western areas. a chance of rain showers for the eastern coast of england in the day. the strongest winds will be here adding to the winds will be here adding to the wind chill. lighter winds further