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HomeHealthCompensation payments for infected blood are on the way

Compensation payments for infected blood are on the way


The government has announced that it will continue to pay compensation to victims of infected blood.

The previous government had announced the plan in May, following the publication of the public inquiry report into the scandal.

Activists had feared that payments could be delayed because elections would be held shortly after that announcement.

But ministers said they wanted to move forward as quickly as possible.

The regulations will be approved before August 24 so that the first payments can be made at the end of the year.

The infected blood scandal has been described as the worst treatment disaster in NHS history.

More than 30,000 people were infected with HIV and hepatitis C from contaminated blood products and transfusions between 1970 and 1991.

Around 3,000 of them have since died, many of them haemophiliacs who were given infected blood products as part of their treatment.

The size of the payments will depend on individual circumstances, but could exceed £2 million.

The compensation due is assessed according to five criteria: harm caused, social impact of stigma and isolation, impact on autonomy and privacy, costs of care and financial loss.

The first payments will be made to infected people. Family members and loved ones of infected people will also be entitled to compensation, but that scheme will not be available until next year.

The government's announcement comes after Sir Robert Francis, acting chairman of the new Infected Blood Compensation Authority, reviewed recommendations put forward for the scheme by the public inquiry.

See also  What is the infected blood scandal and what compensation is there?

He suggested a series of changes that were accepted by the ministers.

These include additional payments for those subjected to “unethical research.”

This includes an additional £15,000 for those who went to Treloar boarding school in Hampshire, where children were given higher-risk treatments to promote medical research.

Richard Warwick, who has haemophilia and developed haemophilia B and HIV after being given blood products to treat his clotting disorder while at a school for disabled children between 1976 and 1982, called the sum “disparaging and insulting”.

Sir Robert also suggested that the existing support scheme should be maintained. It had originally been proposed that it should be ended.

Cabinet Office Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds said: “This is an important milestone for victims and campaigners who have waited too long for justice. We will do everything we can to deliver compensation quickly.”

Jason Evans, of campaign group Factor 8, said the move was a “welcome step”.

But he added: “Compensation for those affected by the infected blood scandal has taken too long and many have died waiting.

“Today, the picture of what compensation could look like has become clearer and now it must be delivered.”



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