Bigger payouts for blood victims ‘will take so long that 100 will die waiting’
UP to 112 victims of the contaminated blood scandal will die before a decision is made on their funding, campaigners warn.
they have written to the Health Secretary Matt Hancock calling for an urgent increase in support payments.
Currently some victims receive as little as £3,500 a year, while others are eligible for just over £36,000 annually, with the amount depending on the severity of their illnesses.
the payments are significantly less than those given to patients in Scotland who since 2016 have been paid lump sums of up to £50,000 and annual support of up to £37,000. A public inquiry into the scandal began last month, but is not due to look at the funding until 2020.
Campaign group tainted Blood, which represents patients and their families, says at least 112 victims will die before the issue is resolved. the campaigners have written to Mr Hancock warning him that it ‘will be a matter of deep and future shame for this Government if it fails to act, and act quickly’.
An estimated 7,500 patients were infected with HIV and other diseases after being given contaminated blood products on the NHS in the Seventies and Eighties. It has been described as the health service’s worst-ever treatment disaster. Up to 2,500 patients have since died of their illnesses.
Many had the blood-clotting disorder haemophilia and relied on regular injections of a medicine called Factor VIII, made from human blood.
Britain was running low on Factor VIII so imported supplies from the U.S., where they had been donated by prisoners, the homeless and prostitutes for cash. But the supplies quickly became contaminated with HIV and hepatitis and they were never screened nor heat- treated before being administered.
Yesterday, the Daily Mail revealed how up to 1,240 patients with HIV had been made to sign a contract promising not to take legal action before being told they had hepatitis C.
the contract was issued by the Department of Health in 1991, which was aware that patients had hepatitis C as early as 1989, but did not tell them until after they had signed.
Patients with both HIV and hepatitis C tend to die far more quickly than those with only one of the viruses because they override the immune system.
the letter calling for an increase in funding was sent to the Health Secretary yesterday. It cites a damning verdict on the payments system by a barrister representing victims, Lloyd Williams QC, who called it ‘ ill thought out’, ‘ badly funded’ and discriminatory.’
He is quoted as saying: ‘ A recurrent complaint is that victims feel they have to go cap in hand like beggars to seek the bare minimum of support.’
the letter goes on: ‘I wish to know what the Government intends to do about this. It must be remembered that, should the Government decide not to follow this advice, around 112 more people are expected to die before finances are dealt with as part of the terms of reference.’