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The British Medical Association (BMA) has raised an alarm against what it calls widespread "fearmongering" concerning the present flu outbreak, while its members consider whether to carry out impending walkouts in England the coming week.

Union Response to Ministerial Concerns

This follows after the Health Minister, Wes Streeting, expressed "very anxious" about the looming "double whammy" of rising numbers of flu patients in hospitals and the approaching resident doctor strikes.

BMA resident doctors committee chair, Dr Jack Fletcher, stated that while the union was not "minimizing" 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," correspondence from the union noted.

Strike Vote and Possible Timeline

The decision of a union vote is expected on Monday. If the offer is turned down, a week-long walkout will commence on Wednesday.

Ministers argues its proposal includes measures that gives preference to British medical graduates for specialty training jobs starting next year and offers to subsidize professional development costs.

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

Appeals for Focus on a Deal

In a statement, the BMA appealed to 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, in the event of a strike, resident doctors may be required to return to work to "ensure safe patient care."

Political Response and Flu Statistics

In an interview with 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 reschedule the industrial action to January.

Echoing the health secretary, the prime minister said the "reckless" strikes "should not happen" 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. 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.

However, 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 handle 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 enough to call off Wednesday's strikes. Should members vote in favor, a detailed vote would be held on ending the dispute completely.