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The leading doctors' union has issued a warning against what it calls public "alarmist rhetoric" regarding the current influenza outbreak, while its members decide on whether to carry out impending walkouts in England next week.

Union Reaction to Ministerial Worries

This follows after the Health Minister, Wes Streeting, expressed "extremely worried" about the potential "combined impact" of increasing figures of flu patients in hospitals and the forthcoming 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 "should not be 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," correspondence from the union declared.

Strike Vote and Possible Schedule

The decision of a BMA ballot is due on Monday. If it is rejected, a week-long walkout will start on Wednesday.

Ministers says its offer includes laws that gives preference to British medical graduates for training posts starting next year and offers to cover the costs professional development costs.

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

Calls for Focus on a Deal

In a release, the BMA appealed to 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 BMA has also notified chief executives of NHS Trusts in England, indicating that, should there be a strike, resident doctors may be required to return to work to "maintain safe patient care."

Government Response and Flu Statistics

Speaking to 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 taken up an offer to reschedule the industrial action 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 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 only date back to 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 "within manageable limits" of what the NHS could cope with and that hospitals were better prepared for large disease outbreaks since the Covid pandemic.

The BMA indicated it will ask its members whether the government's latest offer will be enough to call off Wednesday's strikes. Should members vote in favor, a formal follow-up referendum would be held on ending the dispute for good.