The victims and families of the infected blood scandal have been left “distressed and powerless” because of the government’s compensation scheme, the chair of the inquiry into the disaster has said.
More than 30,000 Britons contracted HIV or hepatitis after being given contaminated blood and blood products in the 1970s and 80s, in what was dubbed the worst treatment disaster in NHS history.
The Infected Blood Inquiry was established to examine the impact on families, how authorities responded and the care and support provided to those affected, and published its report in May last year.
A multi-billion-pound compensation scheme was announced in its wake, including payments for victims of the scandal who were subjected to “unethical research”. However, campaigners and victims have since contacted the inquiry with concerns about the way compensation is being implemented and how long it is taking.
On Thursday, Sir Brian Langstaff took the unusual step of publishing additional evidence – namely a raft of new witness statements that criticise the payment scheme.
Sir Brian said: “The distress and feelings of powerlessness expressed in many of these statements can neither be denied nor ignored. Our goal at the inquiry is to identify whether there are practical measures that could be taken or changes made to address the concerns that have been brought to us.”
He said a further report, to be published next month, will consider the timeliness and adequacy of the government response.
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Timescales agreed within the Cabinet Office mean the majority of those infected should be paid by the end of 2027. For those affected, the first payment should be made by the end of this year, with the bulk of payments due to be paid by the end of 2029.
Samantha May, from the Hepatitis C Trust, said the charity is dealing with a “huge influx” of people.
She said the organisation is now “overrun”.
“The impact on the community has been absolutely devastating; it has caused upset, confusion, anxiety, fear, desperation and division unlike anything we have experienced so far in the 21 years of supporting them,” she said.
Des Collins, senior partner at Collins Solicitors and adviser to some 1,500 victims of the infected blood scandal, said they welcomed the intervention of inquiry chair Sir Brian Langstaff.
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He said there is an “urgent need” for transparency around the implementation of the compensation scheme.
“As far as our clients are concerned, there has been no meaningful participation in the development of the scheme,” he said.
“They have been presented with a fait accompli of how the scheme will work and what it will pay out.”
Kate Burt, from the Haemophilia Society, said the organisation has been under more pressure now than since the inquiry started in 2017. In May 2020, it received 134 calls. In the third week of May 2024 alone it received 448 calls.
“This is not sustainable for a small charity.”
A government spokesperson said: “The victims of this scandal have suffered unspeakably
“We remain fully committed to co-operating with the inquiry and acting on its recommendations, and are grateful for its comprehensive work to date.
“So far we have set aside £11.8bn to compensate victims of infected blood, made compensation offers of over £48m and paid £1bn in interim payments.”
Scandal ‘could have been avoided’
In May 2024, it published its long-awaited report, which concluded the scandal “could largely have been avoided” and there was a “pervasive” cover-up to hide the truth.
Some 3,000 people have already died as a result.
Read more:
‘I gave my young son to his killers’
100 faces of the infected blood scandal
Children underwent treatment at Lord Mayor’s Treloar’s College in Hampshire, in what has been described as a “particularly egregious” case of unethical testing.
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Pupils at the school were treated for haemophilia using plasma blood products infected with HIV and hepatitis. The Infected Blood Inquiry found NHS clinicians continued with treatments to further their medical research despite knowing the dangers.
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