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The leading doctors' union has issued a warning against what it calls public "scaremongering" about the ongoing flu outbreak, while its members consider the possibility of planned strikes in England the coming week.

BMA Reaction to Ministerial Worries

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

The head of the BMA's resident doctors' group, Dr Jack Fletcher, said that while the union was not "downplaying" the effect of flu, Mr. Streeting "must avoid 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 declared.

Industrial Action Ballot and Potential Schedule

The outcome of a union vote is scheduled for Monday. If the offer is turned down, a industrial action lasting five days will begin on Wednesday.

Ministers argues its deal includes measures that gives preference to British medical graduates for training posts starting next year and offers to subsidize professional development costs.

However, the deal does not include a pay rise. The Prime Minister 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 statement, 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 BMA 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."

Political Reaction and Influenza Statistics

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 accepted an offer to reschedule the industrial action 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."

Concerning 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.

However, 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 stated it will ask its members whether the government's latest offer will be enough to cancel Wednesday's strikes. If members agree, a formal follow-up referendum would be held on resolving the dispute for good.