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The leading doctors' union has issued a warning against what it calls public "alarmist rhetoric" concerning the current flu outbreak, as its members consider the possibility of planned strikes in England the coming week.

Union Response to Ministerial Concerns

This statement arrives after the Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, stated he was "very anxious" about the potential "one-two punch" of soaring counts of flu patients in hospitals and the forthcoming resident doctor strikes.

The head of the BMA's resident doctors' group, Dr Jack Fletcher, stated that while the union was not "diminishing" the impact 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," a letter from the union declared.

Industrial Action Vote and Potential Timeline

The outcome of a union vote is due on Monday. Should members vote no, a week-long walkout will commence on Wednesday.

The government states its offer includes legislation that prioritises British medical graduates for specialty training jobs starting next year and offers to pay for professional development costs.

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

Calls for Attention on a Solution

In a release, the BMA called on 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 BMA has also notified chief executives of NHS Trusts in England, saying that, in the event of a strike, resident doctors may be called in to work to "maintain safe patient care."

Political Response and Flu Data

In an interview with 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 push the strike back to January.

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

Regarding the flu outbreak, health officials note it has come early 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.

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

The union said it will ask its members whether the government's latest offer will be enough to cancel Wednesday's strikes. If members vote in favor, a second ballot would be held on resolving the dispute completely.