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The British Medical Association (BMA) has issued a warning against what it calls public "alarmist rhetoric" about the present flu outbreak, as its members consider if they should proceed with scheduled industrial action in England the coming week.

BMA Response to Ministerial Concerns

This statement arrives after the Health Minister, Wes Streeting, expressed "extremely worried" about the looming "combined impact" of rising numbers of flu patients in hospitals and the forthcoming resident doctor strikes.

BMA resident doctors committee chair, Dr Jack Fletcher, remarked 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.

Industrial Action Ballot and Possible Schedule

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

Ministers states its deal includes measures that prioritises British medical graduates for training posts starting next year and offers to pay for training expenses.

However, the deal omits a pay rise. Sir Keir Starmer has written that pay for resident doctors has increased by 28.9% over the past three years.

Appeals for Attention on a Deal

In a statement, the BMA urged 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, recognizing that, in the event of a strike, resident doctors may be asked to come back to work to "maintain safe patient care."

Government Response and Influenza Statistics

Speaking to media, Mr. Streeting said the current situation was "probably 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.

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."

Concerning 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 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.

In spite of the rising numbers, the senior doctor for the NHS in London said the flu situation was "under control" of what the NHS could cope with and that hospitals were more ready for large disease outbreaks since the Covid pandemic.

The BMA indicated it will ask its members whether the government's latest offer will be enough to cancel Wednesday's strikes. If members vote in favor, a detailed vote would be held on resolving the dispute for good.