this is bbc news. the headlines. staff absences caused by coronavirus at nhs hospitals across england have risen by 40% in a week. nursing unions say covid pressures are making hospital care unsafe. nurses can t stop helping their patients, so what s happening instead is that they find themselves being spread thinner and thinner. but they can t keep doing that indefinitely. novak djokovic has thanked people for their support and remains in this hotel. the australian government rejects claims the grand slam champion is being held captive after failing to meet vaccine entry requirements. addressing the nation. kazakhstan s president says he s given the order to fire without warning, and thanks president putin for sending russian troops. protesters have now left the streets.
meanwhile, kent and medway s clinical commissioning group, says it s planning for significant staffing issues in the coming weeks, with increasing covid absences. with only 80% of the eligible population having had the booster jab, its also urging people to get the vaccine in order to protect the nhs. tributes have been paid to a newly qualified paramedic who died after a crash in an ambulance on the a21 near sevenoaks. 21 year old alice clark has been described as a kind and dedicated paramedic, and a beautiful, fun loving daughter who will be missed more than words can say . she was killed in the collision on wednesday night with a cement lorry. her two colleagues were both taken to hospital. police are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage. thousands of homes in eastbourne will go without bin collections today in the second of a series of strikes over pay and conditions. the council says it s offered a 7% pay increase, but the gmb union s asking for 20%, as well as better fac
two former prime ministers back calls for a so called hillsborough law to ensure fairer treatment for bereaved families. good afternoon. staff absences caused by covid are making hospital care unsafe that s the warning from the main nursing union, the rcn. absences are up more than 40% in a week in england, and about one in eight hospitals are in a critical incident, which means they re struggling to provide core services. the armed forces have been called in to help 200 personnel have been deployed in the capital, with another 1800 around the rest of the uk. our health correspondent katharine da costa reports. like many hospitals,
and bbc south east today joining forces at breakfast. as you may have heard more than 200 military personnel are being deployed across london and the thames valley today to help plug the staff shortage caused by a surge in covid infections. hospital and ambulance services will be supported by troops over the next three weeks. the royal college of nursing welcome the help but said it illustrates a staffing crisis in the nhs. meanwhile, non emergency operations across surrey are being postponed because of escalating staff sickness and self isolation. the number of surrey hospital staff absent due to covid is up by a quarter and some hospitals have also closed to visitors. surrey heartlands health and care partnership says it has a plan in place, including bringing in temporary staff, and redeploying existing workers to critical services. meanwhile, kent and medway s clinical commissioning group says it s planning for significant staffing issues in the coming weeks with increasing covid