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The British Medical Association (BMA) has sounded a caution against what it calls public "fearmongering" regarding the ongoing influenza outbreak, while its members vote on the possibility of planned strikes in England the coming week.

BMA Response to Government Concerns

This comes after the Health Minister, Wes Streeting, stated he was "very anxious" about the potential "combined impact" of soaring counts of flu patients in hospitals and the upcoming resident doctor strikes.

The head of the BMA's resident doctors' group, Dr Jack Fletcher, said that while the union was not "minimizing" 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."

"As doctors, we at the BMA wish to ensure that patients remain safe," correspondence from the union declared.

Strike Vote and Potential Timeline

The decision of a members' referendum is expected on Monday. If the offer is turned down, a week-long walkout will commence on Wednesday.

Ministers states its deal includes legislation that prioritises British medical graduates for specialty training jobs starting next year and offers to subsidize training expenses.

But, the deal excludes a pay rise. The Prime Minister has stated that pay for resident doctors has increased by 28.9% over the past three years.

Appeals for Focus on a Solution

In a release, the BMA called on 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, saying that, should there be a strike, resident doctors may be called in to work to "ensure safe patient care."

Political Response and Flu Statistics

In an interview with media, Mr. Streeting said the present circumstances was "probably the worst pressure the NHS has faced since Covid." He asked why the BMA hadn't taken up an offer to reschedule the industrial action to January.

Mirroring 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."

Concerning the flu outbreak, health officials 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 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.

In spite of the increasing figures, the senior doctor for the NHS in London said the flu situation was "within manageable limits" of what the NHS could manage and that hospitals were better prepared for large disease outbreaks since the Covid pandemic.

The BMA stated it will ask its members whether the government's latest offer will be sufficient to avert Wednesday's strikes. Should members agree, a second ballot would be held on ending the dispute for good.