BMA Warns Against Influenza 'Alarmism' Prior to Planned Physician Strikes

The British Medical Association (BMA) has sounded a caution against what it calls public "scaremongering" concerning the current flu outbreak, while its members consider the possibility of planned strikes in England the coming week.

Union Response to Government Concerns

This comes after the Health Minister, Wes Streeting, expressed "extremely worried" about the potential "combined impact" of increasing figures 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 "minimizing" 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."

"As doctors, we at the BMA wish to ensure that patients remain safe," a letter from the union declared.

Industrial Action Ballot and Potential Timeline

The decision of a union vote is due on Monday. If it is rejected, a five-day strike will begin on Wednesday.

Ministers argues its offer includes laws that gives preference to British medical graduates for training posts starting next year and offers to pay for training expenses.

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

Appeals for Attention on a Deal

In a announcement, 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 union has also notified chief executives of NHS Trusts in England, indicating that, in the event of a strike, resident doctors may be called in to work to "maintain safe patient care."

Government 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 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 precarious moment since the pandemic."

Regarding the flu outbreak, health officials note it has arrived sooner than usual 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.

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 senior doctor for the NHS in London said the flu situation was "well within the boundaries" of what the NHS could handle 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. If members indicate yes, a formal follow-up referendum would be held on resolving the dispute for good.