Victims of infected blood to get more aid

People with chronic hepatitis as a result of receiving infected NHS blood and their partners and widows are to receive improved financial support the Scottish Government has announced.

It is estimated that about 3,000 Scots were infected with hepatitis C and HIV through NHS blood transfusions and blood products in the 1970s through to the early 1990s. The Scottish Government will be a key witness, early next year, at a Uk-wide public inquiry into the contaminated blood scandal. This comes four years after a separate Scottish inquiry into the scandal, led by Lord Penrose.

Public Health Minister Joe Fitzpatrick said: “Following an improved support package announced after the Penrose Inquiry, we will have provided nearly £30m in support from 2016-17 to 2018-19.”