The leading doctors' union has sounded a caution against what it calls widespread "scaremongering" concerning the current flu outbreak, while its members consider if they should proceed with scheduled industrial action in England next week.
This follows after the Health Minister, Wes Streeting, stated he was "very anxious" about the looming "combined impact" of rising numbers of flu patients in hospitals and the approaching junior doctor strikes.
BMA resident doctors committee chair, Dr Jack Fletcher, remarked that while the union was not "diminishing" the severity 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," a letter from the union noted.
The result of a union vote is expected on Monday. If the offer is turned down, a week-long walkout will commence on Wednesday.
The government argues its offer includes legislation that gives preference to British medical graduates for specialty training jobs starting next year and offers to pay for professional development costs.
Yet, the deal does not include a pay rise. The Prime Minister has commented that pay for resident doctors has grown by 28.9% over the past three years.
In a statement, the BMA appealed to 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, indicating that, should there be a strike, resident doctors may be asked to come back to work to "uphold safe patient care."
In an interview with media, Mr. Streeting said the present circumstances 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.
Mirroring the health secretary, the prime minister said the "irresponsible" strikes "should not happen" while the NHS is facing its "most challenging moment since the pandemic."
Concerning the flu outbreak, health officials note it has arrived sooner than usual this winter. Approximately 2,660 patients per day were in hospital with flu in England last week – the highest for this time of year since records began 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.
In spite of the rising numbers, 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 better prepared 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 cancel Wednesday's strikes. If members agree, a second ballot would be held on resolving the dispute for good.
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