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The leading doctors' union has sounded a caution against what it calls public "scaremongering" concerning the current influenza outbreak, while its members consider the possibility of scheduled industrial action in England the coming week.

Union Reaction to Government Concerns

This comes after the Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, expressed "very anxious" about the potential "combined impact" of rising numbers of flu patients in hospitals and the forthcoming junior doctor strikes.

The head of the BMA's resident doctors' group, Dr Jack Fletcher, remarked that while the union was not "minimizing" the severity of flu, Mr. Streeting "should not be 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," correspondence from the union stated.

Strike Ballot and Possible Schedule

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

The government argues its offer includes measures that prioritises British medical graduates for training posts starting next year and offers to subsidize exam fees.

However, the deal omits a salary increase. The Prime Minister has commented that pay for resident doctors has grown by 28.9% over the past three years.

Appeals for Attention on a Deal

In a release, the BMA called on the health secretary to "focus his time and attention 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 BMA has also written to chief executives of NHS Trusts in England, recognizing that, in the event of a strike, resident doctors may be required to return to work to "ensure safe patient care."

Government Reaction and Influenza Data

Speaking to 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 accepted an offer to push the strike back to January.

Repeating 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, 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 only date back to 2021 and so do not capture the two worst flu seasons of the past 15 years.

In spite of the increasing figures, 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 union indicated it will ask its members whether the government's latest offer will be enough to avert Wednesday's strikes. If members indicate yes, a second ballot would be held on resolving the dispute for good.