Dozens of blood scandal victims have died awaiting payout, says charity
100 victims of the infected blood scandal have died in the year since the final recommendations were made on compensation, a charity has said.
The Infected Blood Inquiry, which is due to publish its final report next month, made its final recommendations on compensation for victims and their loved ones in April 2023.
Inquiry chair Sir Brian Langstaff said at the time that he “could not in conscience add to the decades-long delays” victims had already faced.
Some people have already received interim payments of £100,000, but Sir Brian said that a number have gone unrecognised, including parents who lost children and children orphaned when their parents died,ashecalledfortheinterim scheme to be extended.
He said that “no time must be wasted in delivering redress” as he recommended that a compensation scheme should be set up before the final report of theinquiry,andrunbyanarm’slengthbodyindependentofgovernment.
The Government has previously been accused of dragging its feet over compensation.
Thousands of patients were infected with HIV and hepatitis C through contaminated blood andbloodproductsinthe1970s and 1980s, in what has been dubbedtheworsttreatmentdisaster in the history of the NHS. Richard Angell, chief executive of Terrence Higgins Trust, described April 5 as “another grim anniversary for those infected and affected by the contaminated blood scandal”.
He added: “Precisely one year ago, the inquiry’s chair Sir Brian Langstaff publishedhissecondinterimreport stating clearly that parents and children who suffered bereavements as a result of the scandal shouldreceive£100,000ininterim compensation.
“He did this to try and alleviate immediate suffering, sayingthatdelayingrecommendationsoncompensationuntilthe finalreportwouldcausefurther harmtopeoplewhohadalready been failed by government.
“Sir Brian also clearly recomalmost mended that the arm's-length body that will deliver the compensation scheme should be set up and running by the end of 2023.
“Shamefully, this hasn’t happened and government continuestofailthisgroupandprolong their suffering. While in the last year almost 100 more victims of the scandal have died.
“Interim payments have already been made to those infected and bereaved partners,butnotparentsorchildren despite the devastating impact onthem.includingparentswho unknowinglyinfectedtheirchildren with contaminated blood productsandchildrenwhowere orphaned by the scandal.
“These people have been waiting half a century for justice and government mustn’t drag its feet any longer.” Rachel Halford, chief executive of The Hepatitis C Trust, also called for the Government to immediately establish a full compensation scheme.
She added that, despite the inquiry’s recommendations, the Government has repeatedly refused” to act on them “and still insists that it is waiting for the final report”. “While the Government delays, peoplearedyinganduncertainty about the future is actively harming infected blood survivors and their families.”