The British Medical Association Admonishes Against Flu 'Fearmongering' Before Planned Physician Walkouts

The British Medical Association (BMA) has raised an alarm against what it calls public "fearmongering" concerning the ongoing influenza outbreak, as its members decide on the possibility of planned strikes in England the coming week.

Union Response to Ministerial Worries

This comes after the Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, stated he was "extremely worried" about the potential "combined impact" of increasing figures of flu patients in hospitals and the upcoming junior doctor strikes.

The head of the BMA's resident doctors' group, Dr Jack Fletcher, remarked that while the union was not "diminishing" the severity of flu, Mr. Streeting "ought not to 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," correspondence from the union stated.

Industrial Action Ballot and Potential Timeline

The decision of a union vote is due on Monday. If the offer is turned down, a week-long walkout will begin on Wednesday.

The government states its offer includes legislation that prioritises British medical graduates for specialty training jobs starting next year and offers to pay for training expenses.

Yet, the deal does not include a salary increase. Sir Keir Starmer has written that pay for resident doctors has increased by 28.9% over the past three years.

Appeals for Attention on a Deal

In a announcement, the BMA urged 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 BMA has also contacted chief executives of NHS Trusts in England, recognizing that, in the event of a strike, resident doctors may be asked to come back to work to "ensure safe patient care."

Government Response and Influenza Data

Speaking to media, Mr. Streeting said the present circumstances was "perhaps 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.

Echoing 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."

Concerning the flu outbreak, experts note it has come early this winter. An average of 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 capture 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 cope with and that hospitals were better prepared for large disease outbreaks since the Covid pandemic.

The BMA said it will ask its members whether the government's latest offer will be sufficient to call off Wednesday's strikes. If members indicate yes, a formal follow-up referendum would be held on ending the dispute for good.