The National Medical Director for NHS England Professor Stephen Palace, reported today that more than 15,000 people have been admitted since Christmas Eve.

He said there was extreme pressure on the service more than we've ever seen.

In his words on the numbers Continue to rise.

Has 10 hospital trusts across England reported a lack of capacity in intensive care.

To illustrate the distressing reality of what is happening on the front line, Clive Myrie visited the Royal London Hospital to see how staff on families of patients are coping there.

There are those who must look into the abyss to spare all of us.

How many floors are taken up by covert patients here?

We've got patients on the third floor, fourth floor, sixth floor, seventh floor floor, 548 beds of the Royal London Hospital.

420 have covert patients.

For 10 days.

We joined staff in one of the U.

K's biggest intensive care units.

Coming, Go, go, go!

At the peak off the second wave.

He could die from this by the way.

I'm sorry to have to say that as a new variant of co vid 19 forces a reckoning for our health service.

Sorry.

So we're now going to run into a problem because we have got any beds under reckoning for us.

Nobody wants to go through this.

I wouldn't wish this on anybody.

It really is horrible.

As London sleeps, the night shift begins.

But the Royal London Hospital nursing sister Carlene Kelly makes her way to a job that's crushing her in the middle of the cove in Nightmare Sleep isn't what it used to be.

There's anxiety when you wake up.

You remember what you have to go into.

We're fragile on bond.

Angry?

Uh huh.

A thief in the emergency department, consultant Nick Bunker is up to his neck in problems, so he's got He's got co vid and he's had a stroke.

A.

A new covert patient has been admitted for every hour.

He's been on shift by 3 a.m. Eight.

So we're now going to run into a problem because we have got any beds.

No beds.

So I had five beds to start the night.

Ah, got to patients next door who need to come in going into a school.

Thank you for Aunt.

Here's another.

Where will he go?

Just bring the back of the bed and see if that helps.

Is he on 100%?

There?

In pressurized rooms, the patients receive oxygen through masks, their condition monitored, but who may need more sustained help from a ventilator.

Keep insights below 96.

1 man's breathing badly falters.

Just just just he must be intubated fast, and we watch his medics, put him to sleep and push a long plastic tube down his throat, hooking him up to his new breathing machine.

When he'll wake up, no one knows.

Yeah, Soon he'll join so many others here, oblivious to night and day cared for by strangers like Carlene, whom we spoke to in the first wave of the virus back in May.

I've felt broken on many occasions on.

I think a lot of my colleagues have now the intensity off the second wave is even more frightening.

So I you see how I feel about this time, like I'm trapped in a cave and the water is slowly rising.

I'm barely keeping my head above water It's scarier.

It's bigger.

I was so naive the first time.

I wasn't convinced we were going to have a second wave at all.

And the huge numbers that have just absolutely slammed us.

It's just a way I never thought it would be possible.

Toe have this many intensive care patients?

Not at all.

Nick Bunker checks on Carlene on Aled the staff because he helps monitor around 130.

I see you.

Covert patients spread all over the hospital.

There were little more than 40 intensive care beds before the pandemic.

If you let me know if I need today and he still needs more tonight, a few minutes later, we find a porter with a priceless possession.

We soon find out how he sadly came upon it.

Martin Freeborn said he wanted to speak to us.

Uh, my wife lost a fight for life.

There was a mixture of covert and infection that finally finished her off on.

This is literally in the last few minutes.

Yeah, Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

In the last half hour, half Laster her name was Helen and she was 64.

What's your message to people watching this?

Who perhaps feel that there is no Kobe there.

There is no battle that it makes me really angry.

Nobody wants to go through this.

I wish this on anybody.

This is really is horrible.

It's riel.

And people really do need to look after themselves on take care.

Because you don't want this to happen.

I wouldn't wish this on anybody.

Um, yeah.

Please wake up on.

Please be over.

Careful.

You can't do enough to keep yourself safe.

Don't end up like us, please.

That's the three grandchildren on my three daughters.

My wife in the background looking on.

She loved being a grandmother.

It was letters from my daughter on.

But unfortunately she went on the ventilator before she could see it.

Dearest Mom.

Helen.

Grandma, We love you so much.

We miss you more than we can say.

You are so strong that have been through so much.

You all right?

You are her inspiration.

I like this darkness until we see you again.

On we will.

You stay strong is always all I love him forever.

That be Laura Lindsay Macon Saseidx story in it.

Just one of the families suffering there in this pandemic.

Talking to Clive Myrie on We'll have more reports from Clive cameramen David McElveen and producer Sam Parenti at the Royal London Hospital over the course off this week.