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The leading doctors' union has raised an alarm against what it calls public "alarmist rhetoric" concerning the ongoing influenza outbreak, as its members vote on if they should proceed with scheduled industrial action in England the coming week.

BMA Response to Government Concerns

This comes after the Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, stated he was "extremely worried" about the potential "double whammy" of soaring counts of flu patients in hospitals and the upcoming resident doctor strikes.

BMA resident doctors committee chair, Dr Jack Fletcher, stated that while the union was not "downplaying" the impact of flu, Mr. Streeting "should not 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 stated.

Strike Vote and Potential Timeline

The result of a BMA ballot is expected on Monday. If it is rejected, a week-long walkout will commence on Wednesday.

Ministers states its deal includes laws that prioritises British medical graduates for specialty training jobs starting next year and offers to pay for training expenses.

But, the deal excludes a wage hike. Sir Keir Starmer has commented that pay for resident doctors has increased by 28.9% over the past three years.

Appeals for Attention on a Deal

In a release, the BMA urged 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 union has also written to chief executives of NHS Trusts in England, saying that, should there be a strike, resident doctors may be called in to work to "uphold safe patient care."

Government Reaction and Influenza Data

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

Repeating the health secretary, the prime minister said the "irresponsible" strikes "ought not to go ahead" while the NHS is facing its "most challenging 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 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.

Despite the rising numbers, 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 better prepared 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 cancel Wednesday's strikes. If members vote in favor, a detailed vote would be held on resolving the dispute completely.