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The leading doctors' union has raised an alarm against what it calls widespread "fearmongering" about the present influenza outbreak, as its members decide on the possibility of planned strikes in England the coming week.

BMA Reaction to Government Worries

This follows after the Health Minister, Wes Streeting, expressed "deeply concerned" about the looming "double whammy" of soaring counts of flu patients in hospitals and the upcoming junior doctor strikes.

The head of the BMA's resident doctors' group, Dr Jack Fletcher, stated that while the union was not "downplaying" the impact of flu, Mr. Streeting "must avoid scaremongering the public into thinking that the NHS will not be able to look after them."

"In our role as physicians, we at the BMA wish to ensure that patients remain safe," a letter from the union declared.

Strike Vote and Possible Timeline

The outcome of a BMA ballot is expected on Monday. If the offer is turned down, a week-long walkout will begin on Wednesday.

The government argues its offer includes laws that prioritises British medical graduates for specialty training jobs starting next year and offers to subsidize training expenses.

However, the deal does not include a wage hike. Sir Keir Starmer has commented that pay for resident doctors has increased by 28.9% over the past three years.

Appeals for Attention on a Deal

In a announcement, 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 written to 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 "maintain safe patient care."

Government Response and Flu Statistics

Speaking to 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 reschedule the industrial action to January.

Repeating the health secretary, the prime minister said the "irresponsible" strikes "should not happen" while the NHS is facing its "most precarious 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 on record in 2021.

However, these records start from 2021 and so do not include the two worst flu seasons of the past 15 years.

Despite the increasing figures, the medical director for the NHS in London said the flu situation was "under control" of what the NHS could manage and that hospitals were more ready for large disease outbreaks since the Covid pandemic.

The union stated it will ask its members whether the government's latest offer will be enough to call off Wednesday's strikes. Should members agree, a detailed vote would be held on resolving the dispute for good.