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The British Medical Association (BMA) has sounded a caution against what it calls widespread "alarmist rhetoric" about the current flu outbreak, while its members vote on the possibility of impending walkouts in England next week.

Union Reaction to Government Worries

This comes after the Health Minister, Wes Streeting, stated he was "deeply concerned" about the potential "combined impact" of rising numbers 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 "downplaying" 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.

Industrial Action Ballot and Possible Timeline

The outcome of a members' referendum is scheduled for Monday. If it is rejected, a week-long walkout will start on Wednesday.

Ministers says its deal includes legislation that gives preference to British medical graduates for specialty training jobs starting next year and offers to pay for exam fees.

Yet, the deal omits a salary increase. Sir Keir Starmer has stated that pay for resident doctors has grown 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 "devote his efforts 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 asked to come back to work to "uphold safe patient care."

Political Reaction and Influenza Statistics

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 taken up an offer to push the strike back to January.

Echoing 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."

Regarding the flu outbreak, experts note it has come early this winter. Approximately 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 start from 2021 and so do not capture the two worst flu seasons of the past 15 years.

Despite the rising numbers, the senior doctor 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 indicated it will ask its members whether the government's latest offer will be sufficient to call off Wednesday's strikes. If members vote in favor, a formal follow-up referendum would be held on ending the dispute entirely.