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The British Medical Association (BMA) has sounded a caution against what it calls public "fearmongering" about the ongoing influenza outbreak, as its members consider whether to carry out planned strikes in England next week.

BMA Response to Government Worries

This comes after the Health Minister, Wes Streeting, stated he was "deeply concerned" about the potential "combined impact" of rising numbers of flu patients in hospitals and the upcoming junior doctor strikes.

The head of the BMA's resident doctors' group, Dr Jack Fletcher, remarked that while the union was not "minimizing" the impact of flu, Mr. Streeting "should not 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," a letter from the union stated.

Industrial Action Ballot and Possible Schedule

The result of a BMA ballot is expected on Monday. Should members vote no, a industrial action lasting five days will start on Wednesday.

Ministers argues its deal includes laws that prioritises British medical graduates for training posts starting next year and offers to pay for professional development costs.

However, the deal excludes a salary increase. Sir Keir Starmer has commented that pay for resident doctors has increased by 28.9% over the past three years.

Appeals for Attention on a Solution

In a release, the BMA called on the health secretary to "devote his efforts 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 contacted chief executives of NHS Trusts in England, saying that, should there be a strike, resident doctors may be required to return to work to "ensure safe patient care."

Political Response and Flu Data

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

Repeating the health secretary, the prime minister said the "reckless" strikes "ought not to go ahead" while the NHS is facing its "most vulnerable moment since the pandemic."

Concerning the flu outbreak, health officials note it has arrived sooner than usual this winter. Around 2,660 patients per day were in hospital with flu in England last week – the greatest for this time of year on record in 2021.

It is important to note, these records start from 2021 and so do not include the two worst flu seasons of the past 15 years.

Despite the increasing figures, the senior doctor for the NHS in London said the flu situation was "under control" of what the NHS could manage and that hospitals were more ready for large disease outbreaks since the Covid pandemic.

The union said it will ask its members whether the government's latest offer will be sufficient to call off Wednesday's strikes. If members indicate yes, a second ballot would be held on ending the dispute for good.