Infected blood scandal victims stripped of their dignity, say campaigners

The Government’s “failure” to listen to victims of the infected blood scandal has been “exposed” in a new report, campaigners have said.

The Haemophilia Society said that victims of the scandal, dubbed the worst treatment disaster in the history of the NHS, have been “stripped of their dignity”.

Campaigners said that around 100 infected people have died since the main report into the scandal was published last May, with people in the “affected community” – including bereaved parents and partners – dying in even greater numbers.

It comes as a report into the compensation for those infected and affected was published on Wednesday, following additional hearings of the Infected Blood Inquiry.

Kate Burt, chief executive of the Haemophilia Society, said: “Government’s failure to listen to those at the heart of the contaminated blood scandal has shamefully been exposed by the Infected Blood Inquiry yet again.

“This failure is exhausting, damaging and is stripping this community of its dignity.

“Now Government must take urgent action to put this right by valuing those impacted by this scandal through a fair and fast compensation settlement.

“Only then can the infected blood community move on from the past and finally focus on what remains of their future.”

Andy Evans from the campaign group Tainted Blood, said: “Since the inquiry published its final report on May 20 2024, we have been losing people at a rate of up to two a week, and that’s been continuing since that time.

“And since we’re now more than a year on, we are now talking about more than 100 people having died from the infected community alone, and more from the affected community who are ageing parents and partners.”

He added: “The concerns we had (about compensation) are valid and things need to be done about them. So I’m really pleased the inquiry has listened to us and made these recommendations.

“We hope the Government realises that we are not the enemy here, we can help them with this compensation scheme.”

The latest report into the scandal states that “the impacts of infection with hepatitis are not being fully recognised (or applied) in the scheme as it stands”.

Glenn Wilkinson, from the Contaminated Blood Campaign, told the PA news agency: “It’s not about the speed of compensation, it’s about the adequacy of compensation.

“What’s the point in delivering a compensation scheme quickly if it’s going to fail the majority of people?

“As it stands, those in the hepatitis C community are going to be compensated at the very least 50% less compared to those with HIV when the death toll within the hepatitis C community is far greater than that of the HIV community. There’s no justice to this.”

He said that people with hepatitis C feel forced to stay on support schemes as a result of the current compensation scheme which mean they are “effectively tied to our abuser for the rest of our lives”.

Gary Webster, a pupil who went to Lord Mayor Treloar College, a boarding school in Hampshire, from 1975 to 1983, welcomed the recommendation for an increase to the money paid for “unethical research practices”.

Mr Webster was one of several pupils who attended the school and was given treatment for haemophilia at an on-site NHS centre while receiving their education.

It was later found that many pupils with the condition, which has no cure and impairs the body’s ability to make blood clots, had been given blood products which were infected with hepatitis and HIV.

“I was very pleased with Sir Brian’s additional report today,” he told the PA news agency.

“We are pleased with the recommendations made, especially the proposed uplift in unethical medical research; also that the whole process needs to be sped up as (we) don’t have time to wait.”

Rachel Halford, chief executive of the Hepatitis C trust, said: “The people impacted by the infected blood scandal have been failed for 50 years; the Government’s refusal to act swiftly and collaboratively in designing the infected blood compensation system failed them yet again.

“They have delayed every action and routinely ignored the voice of the community; as a result, we have a poorly designed compensation scheme that does not reflect the harm done to thousands of people affected.”

She added: “This report should never have been needed.

“But we hope today can mark a turning point in this terrible scandal.”

Richard Angell, chief executive of Terrence Higgins Trust, added: “Those impacted by HIV as a result of this tragedy have endured unimaginable suffering – physically, mentally, and emotionally.

“Having borne the heaviest burden for the longest time, it is essential that their claims be prioritised.

“We work with one family whose young son died three decades ago because of Aids-related illnesses caused by infected blood.

“His father now has dementia. It shouldn’t be too much for him to receive compensation whilst he can still remember his son.

“Justice delayed is justice denied. We need faster and fairer progress and those who have been waiting the longest, experiencing Aids, early treatments and loss after loss, deserve to be prioritised.”

Leigh Day partner Gene Matthews said: “We hope the Cabinet Office and the Government accept those recommendations and take immediate steps to ensure the infected and affected communities are properly compensated for what happened to them.

Des Collins, senior partner at Collins Solicitors and adviser to some 1,500 victims of the infected blood scandal, said: “The Government has earmarked £11.8bn in funds for the infected blood community.

“We need the Government to work constructively now with the Inquiry and the victims to implement Sir Brian’s recommendations without delay.”