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The leading doctors' union has raised an alarm against what it calls widespread "scaremongering" concerning the present flu outbreak, as its members vote on the possibility of impending walkouts in England next week.

BMA Response to Ministerial Worries

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

BMA resident doctors committee chair, Dr Jack Fletcher, stated that while the union was not "downplaying" 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."

"In our role as physicians, we at the BMA wish to ensure that patients remain safe," correspondence from the union stated.

Strike Ballot and Potential Timeline

The outcome of a members' referendum is due on Monday. If it is rejected, a industrial action lasting five days will commence on Wednesday.

The government argues its deal includes measures that prioritises British medical graduates for specialty training jobs starting next year and offers to subsidize training expenses.

Yet, the deal excludes a pay rise. Sir Keir Starmer has written 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 "focus his time and attention 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 contacted chief executives of NHS Trusts in England, recognizing that, should there be a strike, resident doctors may be asked to come back to work to "uphold safe patient care."

Government Response 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 asked why the BMA hadn't taken up an offer to push the strike back to January.

Echoing the health secretary, the prime minister said the "irresponsible" 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 since records began in 2021.

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

In spite of the increasing figures, 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 union stated it will ask its members whether the government's latest offer will be sufficient to avert Wednesday's strikes. If members indicate yes, a detailed vote would be held on resolving the dispute completely.