WES STREETING “has far more power to prevent NHS strikes than he gives himself credit for,” said the British Medical Association (BMA) today.

The Health Secretary was warned his “irresponsible” public tirades won’t avert plans for a five-day resident doctor strikes in England next Wednesday.

Mr Streeting insisted that he is “genuinely fearful” for the NHS if the latest walkout goes ahead amid surging flu cases, claiming the collapse of the health service is now “effectively” at “one minute to midnight.”

The minister accused the union of choosing to strike in December as “they know that this week will be most painful” for the service, with the flu causing “probably the worst pressure the NHS has faced since Covid.” 

NHS campaigners issued a furious response after he told LBC: “I cannot guarantee, I honestly don’t want to catastrophise or sensationalise, I cannot sit here and look you in the eye and tell you that no patient will come to harm.”

BMA resident doctors’ committee chair Dr Jack Fletcher said: “Ultimately, the health secretary has far more power to prevent NHS strikes than he gives himself credit for; not through confrontation, but by rebuilding trust and putting an offer on the table that creates sufficient brand-new training places for doctors, not changing the names of existing roles. 

“His current offer does not create any more capacity for us to treat patients, or do anything to help clear waiting lists; let’s be clear about that.”

The BMA’s online poll for the government’s latest deal will close on Monday, just two days before the five-day strike is set to start.

Figures published on Thursday showed flu cases at a record level for the time of year after jumping 55 per cent in a week to an average 2,660 patients in hospital each day last week.

Dr Fletcher added: “Regardless of us polling resident doctors, next week’s strikes need not go ahead. 

“Doctors want to be on wards treating flu patients next week — not standing on picket lines. Wes Streeting can make that happen by coming back with a credible offer.

“A proper pay offer — spread over several years to restore doctors’ pay would give us a clear reason to pause strike dates while members vote.

“Mr Streeting has said he wants a ‘reset’ in relations with the BMA; if that translates into genuine negotiations, rather than ignoring us for weeks on end, then the prospect of further strikes immediately falls.

“In short, strikes tend to go ahead when pay, conditions and trust all hit breaking point. 

“The quickest way for the health secretary to stop them is to tackle all three at once — something he could do if he chooses to.”

Keep Our NHS Public co-chair Dr Tony O’Sullivan told the Morning Star: “It is the height of irresponsible behaviour from the Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, to go to war with doctors and the BMA amid the flu epidemic and this, the second winter crisis since the Starmer–Streeting administration took office. 

“The government cannot pretend that they had no warning, that they didn’t see it coming. Nor should they deny that it is their responsibility to deal with it. 

“Other European countries look at the UK in wonder at our annual ‘winter crisis’. They build in capacity to deal with the expected.

“Surprise, surprise, more people get sick in winter. Successive governments have refused to meet need with funding and resources for NHS staff and have abandoned social care to the private sector.”

He branded Mr Streeting’s claims that doctors have received a wage boost of a cumulative 28.9 per cent over three years “cynical.”

They are “negated by the reality that the cumulative inflation of 25–30 per cent over the three years 2022/3–2024/5 means minimal level of pay restoration was achieved,” said Dr O’Sullivan.

“The government must take action to give NHS resident doctors, and other staff, the remuneration they deserve.

“But instead, as with the scapegoating of migrants and asylum-seekers as the cause of multiple ills, the government’s self-serving reaction is to scapegoat doctors and their union, the BMA, for the NHS crisis Labour was voted into office to solve.”