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The British Medical Association (BMA) has sounded a caution against what it calls widespread "fearmongering" about the current flu outbreak, while its members decide on the possibility of scheduled industrial action in England next week.

BMA Response to Ministerial Worries

This follows after the Health Minister, Wes Streeting, stated he was "very anxious" about the looming "double whammy" of soaring counts of flu patients in hospitals and the approaching resident doctor strikes.

The head of the BMA's resident doctors' group, Dr Jack Fletcher, said 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 noted.

Strike Vote and Potential Timeline

The result of a members' referendum is scheduled for Monday. Should members vote no, a five-day strike will begin on Wednesday.

Ministers argues its deal includes measures that prioritises British medical graduates for training posts starting next year and offers to subsidize exam fees.

Yet, the deal omits a pay rise. The Prime Minister has commented that pay for resident doctors has increased by 28.9% over the past three years.

Calls for Attention on a Deal

In a statement, 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 BMA has also written to chief executives of NHS Trusts in England, recognizing that, in the event of a strike, resident doctors may be asked to come back to work to "ensure safe patient care."

Government Reaction and Flu Statistics

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

Mirroring the health secretary, the prime minister said the "reckless" strikes "ought not to go ahead" 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. Around 2,660 patients per day were in hospital with flu in England last week – the highest 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 rising numbers, the medical director for the NHS in London said the flu situation was "within manageable limits" of what the NHS could cope with 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. Should members agree, a second ballot would be held on ending the dispute for good.