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The British Medical Association (BMA) has raised an alarm against what it calls widespread "fearmongering" about the ongoing influenza outbreak, while its members consider whether to carry out scheduled industrial action in England next week.

Union Reaction to Ministerial Concerns

This follows after the Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, stated he was "deeply concerned" about the potential "double whammy" 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 "minimizing" the severity of flu, Mr. Streeting "must avoid 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 noted.

Strike Ballot and Potential Timeline

The decision of a members' referendum is due on Monday. If the offer is turned down, a five-day strike will start on Wednesday.

The government says its deal includes legislation that gives preference to British medical graduates for specialty training jobs starting next year and offers to pay for professional development costs.

However, the deal excludes a pay rise. The Prime Minister has written that pay for resident doctors has risen by 28.9% over the past three years.

Appeals for Attention on a Solution

In a statement, the BMA appealed to 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, recognizing that, should there be a strike, resident doctors may be asked to come back to work to "uphold safe patient care."

Political Response and Influenza Statistics

In an interview with media, Mr. Streeting said the current situation was "probably the worst pressure the NHS has faced since Covid." He questioned why the BMA hadn't taken up an offer to push the strike back to January.

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

Regarding the flu outbreak, experts note it has come early this winter. An average of 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.

In spite of the increasing figures, the medical director for the NHS in London said the flu situation was "under control" of what the NHS could handle and that hospitals were more ready for large disease outbreaks since the Covid pandemic.

The union indicated it will ask its members whether the government's latest offer will be enough to call off Wednesday's strikes. If members agree, a second ballot would be held on resolving the dispute for good.