Omicron: London facing 'catastrophic' NHS staff shortages over Christmas as hospital admissions rise

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Staff shortages projected of NHS staff over Christmas in London due to Omicron.

London is facing “catastrophic" NHS staff absences over the Christmas period amid a surge in cases of the Covid Omicron variant.

As many as one in three NHS staff could be off by New Year’s Eve, the Health Service Journal (HSJ) predicts, as hospital admissions soar, putting the NHS, and already overstretched healthcare workers, under considerable strain.

The number of hospitalised Covid patients or patients who tested positive for Covid has gone up by 30% in a week in London. Nationally, the figure has only risen by 4%.

“We should not underplay how catastrophic it could potentially be” - Lisa Elliott, Royal College of Nursing, regional director for London, tells ITV News the situation is “very worrying”

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