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

BMA Reaction to Ministerial Worries

This comes after the Health Minister, Wes Streeting, expressed "extremely worried" about the potential "double whammy" of rising numbers of flu patients in hospitals and the approaching resident doctor strikes.

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

Industrial Action Vote and Possible Schedule

The decision of a members' referendum is due on Monday. Should members vote no, a week-long walkout will start on Wednesday.

The government states its offer includes laws that prioritises British medical graduates for training posts starting next year and offers to pay for professional development costs.

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

Calls for Attention on a Deal

In a announcement, the BMA appealed to the health secretary to "devote his efforts 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, saying that, should there be a strike, resident doctors may be required to return to work to "maintain safe patient care."

Political Response and Influenza Statistics

In an interview with media, Mr. Streeting said the current situation was "probably the worst pressure the NHS has faced since Covid." He questioned 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 "reckless" strikes "ought not to go ahead" while the NHS is facing its "most challenging moment since the pandemic."

Regarding the flu outbreak, experts note it has come early this winter. Around 2,660 patients per day were in hospital with flu in England last week – the greatest for this time of year since records began in 2021.

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

In spite of 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 more ready for large disease outbreaks since the Covid pandemic.

The union indicated it will ask its members whether the government's latest offer will be enough to cancel Wednesday's strikes. If members agree, a formal follow-up referendum would be held on ending the dispute for good.