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The British Medical Association (BMA) has sounded a caution against what it calls widespread "alarmist rhetoric" about the ongoing flu outbreak, as its members consider if they should proceed with impending walkouts in England the coming week.

Union Reaction to Government Concerns

This statement arrives after the Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, expressed "deeply concerned" about the potential "one-two punch" of increasing figures of flu patients in hospitals and the approaching resident doctor strikes.

BMA resident doctors committee chair, Dr Jack Fletcher, said 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."

"As doctors, we at the BMA wish to ensure that patients remain safe," a letter from the union noted.

Industrial Action Vote and Potential Schedule

The outcome of a BMA ballot is due on Monday. Should members vote no, a five-day strike will begin on Wednesday.

The government argues its offer includes legislation that prioritises British medical graduates for training posts starting next year and offers to cover the costs training expenses.

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

Calls for Attention on a Solution

In a announcement, the BMA appealed to 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 notified chief executives of NHS Trusts in England, indicating that, should there be a strike, resident doctors may be asked to come back to work to "ensure safe patient care."

Political Reaction and Influenza Data

Speaking to media, Mr. Streeting said the present circumstances was "perhaps the worst pressure the NHS has faced since Covid." He questioned why the BMA hadn't accepted an offer to push the strike back to January.

Echoing 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 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.

However, these records only date back to 2021 and so do not capture 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 "well within the boundaries" of what the NHS could manage and that hospitals were more ready for large disease outbreaks since the Covid pandemic.

The union stated it will ask its members whether the government's latest offer will be enough to avert Wednesday's strikes. Should members indicate yes, a formal follow-up referendum would be held on resolving the dispute for good.