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The leading doctors' union has issued a warning against what it calls widespread "scaremongering" about the current influenza outbreak, as its members consider if they should proceed with impending walkouts in England next week.

Union Reaction to Ministerial Concerns

This comes after the Health Minister, Wes Streeting, stated he was "very anxious" about the potential "double whammy" of soaring counts 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 "diminishing" 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.

Strike Vote and Potential Schedule

The decision of a BMA ballot is scheduled for Monday. If it is rejected, a week-long walkout will start on Wednesday.

The government states its proposal includes measures that gives preference to British medical graduates for training posts starting next year and offers to cover the costs exam fees.

However, the deal omits a pay rise. The Prime Minister has written that pay for resident doctors has increased by 28.9% over the past three years.

Calls 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 BMA has also written to chief executives of NHS Trusts in England, indicating that, in the event of a strike, resident doctors may be asked to come back to work to "maintain safe patient care."

Political Reaction and Flu Data

Speaking to media, Mr. Streeting said the present circumstances 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 "irresponsible" strikes "should not happen" while the NHS is facing its "most vulnerable moment since the pandemic."

Regarding the flu outbreak, health officials 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 capture 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 BMA indicated it will ask its members whether the government's latest offer will be sufficient to avert Wednesday's strikes. If members agree, a detailed vote would be held on ending the dispute for good.