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The British Medical Association (BMA) has sounded a caution against what it calls public "alarmist rhetoric" regarding the ongoing influenza outbreak, while its members decide on whether to carry out impending walkouts in England next week.

Union Reaction to Ministerial Concerns

This comes after the Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, stated he was "extremely worried" about the potential "combined impact" of soaring counts of flu patients in hospitals and the forthcoming junior doctor strikes.

BMA resident doctors committee chair, 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."

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

Industrial Action Vote and Potential Schedule

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

Ministers states its proposal includes measures that prioritises British medical graduates for specialty training jobs starting next year and offers to cover the costs training expenses.

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

Calls for Focus on a Solution

In a statement, 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 union has also written to chief executives of NHS Trusts in England, indicating 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 present circumstances was "perhaps the worst pressure the NHS has faced since Covid." He questioned why the BMA hadn't accepted an offer to push the strike back to January.

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

Regarding the flu outbreak, health officials note it has come early this winter. Approximately 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 only date back to 2021 and so do not include the two worst flu seasons of the past 15 years.

Despite the increasing figures, the senior doctor for the NHS in London said the flu situation was "well within the boundaries" of what the NHS could handle and that hospitals were better prepared for large disease outbreaks since the Covid pandemic.

The BMA said 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 resolving the dispute entirely.