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The British Medical Association (BMA) has sounded a caution against what it calls widespread "fearmongering" concerning the ongoing influenza outbreak, while its members vote on the possibility of scheduled industrial action in England the coming week.

BMA Reaction to Ministerial Worries

This follows after the Health Minister, Wes Streeting, stated he was "deeply concerned" about the looming "combined impact" of soaring counts of flu patients in hospitals and the upcoming resident doctor strikes.

BMA resident doctors committee chair, Dr Jack Fletcher, stated that while the union was not "downplaying" the impact of flu, Mr. Streeting "should not 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 declared.

Strike Vote and Potential Schedule

The result of a union vote is scheduled for Monday. Should members vote no, a industrial action lasting five days will start on Wednesday.

The government argues its proposal includes laws that prioritises British medical graduates for specialty training jobs starting next year and offers to cover the costs exam fees.

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

Appeals for Attention on a Deal

In a release, 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 BMA has also contacted chief executives of NHS Trusts in England, recognizing that, should there be a strike, resident doctors may be asked to come back to work to "ensure safe patient care."

Government Reaction and Influenza Statistics

Speaking to media, Mr. Streeting said the present circumstances was "perhaps the worst pressure the NHS has faced since Covid." He questioned why the BMA hadn't accepted 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 vulnerable moment since the pandemic."

Concerning the flu outbreak, health officials note it has arrived sooner than usual this winter. Around 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 only date back to 2021 and so do not include the two worst flu seasons of the past 15 years.

In spite of the rising numbers, the medical director for the NHS in London said the flu situation was "well within the boundaries" of what the NHS could handle and that hospitals were more ready for large disease outbreaks since the Covid pandemic.

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