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The leading doctors' union has sounded a caution against what it calls public "scaremongering" concerning the ongoing flu outbreak, as its members decide on if they should proceed with impending walkouts in England the coming week.

BMA Reaction to Ministerial Concerns

This follows after the Health Minister, Wes Streeting, stated he was "deeply concerned" about the potential "double whammy" of soaring counts of flu patients in hospitals and the forthcoming resident doctor strikes.

The head of the BMA's resident doctors' group, Dr Jack Fletcher, stated that while the union was not "diminishing" the impact of flu, Mr. Streeting "must avoid 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 declared.

Industrial Action Vote and Possible Schedule

The result of a BMA ballot is due on Monday. If it is rejected, a industrial action lasting five days will commence on Wednesday.

The government says its deal includes legislation that gives preference to British medical graduates for training posts starting next year and offers to cover the costs training expenses.

Yet, the deal excludes a salary increase. Sir Keir Starmer has commented that pay for resident doctors has risen by 28.9% over the past three years.

Calls for Attention on a Deal

In a announcement, 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, in the event of a strike, resident doctors may be called in to work to "uphold safe patient care."

Government Reaction and Influenza Data

In an interview with media, Mr. Streeting said the current situation was "probably 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.

Repeating the health secretary, the prime minister said the "irresponsible" strikes "ought not to go ahead" while the NHS is facing its "most vulnerable moment since the pandemic."

Regarding the flu outbreak, experts 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 on record in 2021.

It is important to note, these records only date back to 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 "within manageable limits" of what the NHS could cope with and that hospitals were better prepared for large disease outbreaks since the Covid pandemic.

The union said it will ask its members whether the government's latest offer will be sufficient to cancel Wednesday's strikes. If members indicate yes, a second ballot would be held on resolving the dispute for good.