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The leading doctors' union has issued a warning against what it calls public "fearmongering" about the present influenza outbreak, as its members vote on if they should proceed with scheduled industrial action in England the coming week.

Union Reaction to Government Worries

This comes after the Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, stated he was "very anxious" about the looming "double whammy" of rising numbers of flu patients in hospitals and the upcoming resident doctor strikes.

The head of the BMA's resident doctors' group, Dr Jack Fletcher, said that while the union was not "minimizing" the effect 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 noted.

Strike Vote and Possible Schedule

The outcome of a union vote is scheduled for Monday. If it is rejected, a week-long walkout will start on Wednesday.

Ministers argues its deal includes measures that prioritises British medical graduates for training posts starting next year and offers to cover the costs professional development costs.

Yet, the deal does not include 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 Focus on a Solution

In a statement, the BMA urged 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 union has also contacted chief executives of NHS Trusts in England, saying that, should there be a strike, resident doctors may be asked to come back to work to "maintain safe patient care."

Political Reaction and Flu Data

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 accepted an offer to push the strike back to January.

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

Concerning the flu outbreak, experts note it has come early this winter. Approximately 2,660 patients per day were in hospital with flu in England last week – the greatest for this time of year on record in 2021.

It is important to note, these records start from 2021 and so do not capture 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 cope with and that hospitals were more ready 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 call off Wednesday's strikes. Should members agree, a second ballot would be held on ending the dispute for good.