Infected blood report held back by weight of criticism

THE infected blood inquiry’s findings have been delayed by the “sheer scale and seriousness of the criticisms”.

Victims and their loved ones were initially expecting the report to be published last autumn but this was delayed until March this year. Now the inquiry has confirmed the final report will not be published until May 20.

Some 30,000 people were infected with HIV and hepatitis C through contaminated blood in the 1970s and 1980s in a scanda, which led to more than 3,000 deaths.

In a statement, the inquiry said its final report would “set out and explain the many failings at systemic, collective and individual levels over more than six decades”. It blamed the seriousness of these failings for the delay.

Sir Brian Langstaff, chairman of the inquiry, apologised and said: “I am acutely aware of the need for the report to be available as soon as possible.” He said he stood by his recommendation in April for a compensation scheme to be “set up with urgency” for victims.

However, victims’ groups condemned the delay. Rachel Halford, chief executive of the Hepatitis C Trust, said it was “extremely disappointing for a community that has already been forced to wait half a century for justice”.

She added: “We now expect the Government to immediately establish a full compensation scheme, and extend compensation to everyone affected, including people given hepatitis B, people infected through transfusions after 1991 and every parent who watched their child die.”

Des Collins, of Collins Solicitors, which acts for 1,500 victims and families, called on the Government to “do the right thing and progress this now”.

Jason Evans, director of the campaign group Factor 8, said victims “have campaigned, they have cried and, sadly, many have died ... people are dying without full compensation.”