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The British Medical Association (BMA) has raised an alarm against what it calls public "scaremongering" concerning the ongoing influenza outbreak, while its members vote on if they should proceed with impending walkouts in England next week.

Union Response to Government Concerns

This statement arrives after the Health Minister, Wes Streeting, stated he was "deeply concerned" about the potential "combined impact" of soaring counts of flu patients in hospitals and the upcoming resident doctor strikes.

BMA resident doctors committee chair, Dr Jack Fletcher, said that while the union was not "minimizing" 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," correspondence from the union noted.

Strike Ballot and Potential Timeline

The outcome of a BMA ballot is expected on Monday. Should members vote no, a industrial action lasting five days will start on Wednesday.

Ministers argues its proposal includes measures that gives preference to British medical graduates for specialty training jobs starting next year and offers to subsidize exam fees.

Yet, the deal does not include a salary increase. Sir Keir Starmer has written that pay for resident doctors has grown by 28.9% over the past three years.

Calls for Focus on a Solution

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

Political Response and Flu Data

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.

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

Regarding the flu outbreak, experts note it has come early this winter. Around 2,660 patients per day were in hospital with flu in England last week – the greatest for this time of year since records began 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 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 sufficient to avert Wednesday's strikes. Should members vote in favor, a detailed vote would be held on resolving the dispute for good.