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The British Medical Association (BMA) has sounded a caution against what it calls widespread "scaremongering" concerning the ongoing influenza outbreak, as its members consider whether to carry out impending walkouts in England next week.

Union Response to Government Worries

This follows after the Health Minister, Wes Streeting, stated he was "deeply concerned" about the looming "one-two punch" of rising numbers of flu patients in hospitals and the approaching resident doctor strikes.

BMA resident doctors committee chair, Dr Jack Fletcher, said that while the union was not "minimizing" the effect of flu, Mr. Streeting "ought not to be scaremongering the public into thinking that the NHS will not be able to look after them."

"As doctors, we at the BMA wish to ensure that patients remain safe," correspondence from the union noted.

Industrial Action Vote and Possible Schedule

The outcome of a BMA ballot is expected on Monday. If the offer is turned down, a industrial action lasting five days will begin on Wednesday.

The government argues its offer includes laws that prioritises British medical graduates for specialty training jobs starting next year and offers to cover the costs professional development costs.

Yet, the deal omits a wage hike. The Prime Minister has stated that pay for resident doctors has risen by 28.9% over the past three years.

Appeals for Focus on a Deal

In a announcement, the BMA urged the health secretary to "concentrate on offering a deal that will stop next week's strikes going ahead, rather than making claims that strike action could cause the NHS to collapse."

The union has also written to chief executives of NHS Trusts in England, indicating that, should there be a strike, resident doctors may be called in to work to "maintain safe patient care."

Government Response and Influenza Statistics

Speaking to media, Mr. Streeting said the present circumstances was "perhaps the worst pressure the NHS has faced since Covid." He asked why the BMA hadn't taken up an offer to reschedule the industrial action to January.

Repeating the health secretary, the prime minister said the "irresponsible" strikes "should not happen" while the NHS is facing its "most challenging moment since the pandemic."

Regarding the flu outbreak, health officials note it has arrived sooner than usual this winter. An average of 2,660 patients per day were in hospital with flu in England last week – the greatest for this time of year since records began in 2021.

However, these records start from 2021 and so do not capture the two worst flu seasons of the past 15 years.

Despite the rising numbers, the medical director for the NHS in London said the flu situation was "within manageable limits" of what the NHS could manage and that hospitals were better prepared for large disease outbreaks since the Covid pandemic.

The BMA indicated it will ask its members whether the government's latest offer will be enough to avert Wednesday's strikes. If members indicate yes, a second ballot would be held on resolving the dispute entirely.