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

Union Response to Government Worries

This statement arrives after the Health Minister, Wes Streeting, expressed "extremely worried" about the potential "one-two punch" of rising numbers of flu patients in hospitals and the forthcoming junior doctor strikes.

The head of the BMA's resident doctors' group, Dr Jack Fletcher, said 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 stated.

Industrial Action Vote and Possible Schedule

The decision of a union vote is expected on Monday. If the offer is turned down, a five-day strike will begin on Wednesday.

Ministers argues its deal includes legislation that prioritises British medical graduates for training posts starting next year and offers to cover the costs professional development costs.

Yet, the deal omits a pay rise. Sir Keir Starmer has stated that pay for resident doctors has grown by 28.9% over the past three years.

Appeals for Attention on a Solution

In a announcement, the BMA urged 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, should there be a strike, resident doctors may be called in to work to "maintain safe patient care."

Government Response and Influenza Statistics

In an interview with media, Mr. Streeting said the current situation was "perhaps the worst pressure the NHS has faced since Covid." He asked why the BMA hadn't accepted an offer to push the strike back to January.

Mirroring 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, 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.

It is important to note, these records start from 2021 and so do not capture the two worst flu seasons of the past 15 years.

Despite the increasing figures, the medical director for the NHS in London said the flu situation was "well within the boundaries" of what the NHS could manage 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. If members indicate yes, a second ballot would be held on resolving the dispute entirely.