Grant Shapps, the defence secretary, has acknowledged that victims of the NHS infected blood scandal have waited too long for answers. The health service’s worst-ever treatment disaster saw approximately 3,000 people given infected blood in the 1970s and 80s and thousands later died after contracting HIV or hepatitis C from a treatment made from blood plasma or a blood transfusion. The final inquiry report is due on Monday and according to The Sunday Times compensation payments to victims could run to £10bn. More than 30,000 NHS patients were given contaminated blood products.
Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting said Labour would offer compensation, adding “justice has been delayed far too long”. Mr Shapps confirmed he could not confirm the scale of compensation payments to victims.
The scandal was only subject to an official inquiry in 2017, under Theresa May, after years of campaigning by victims. Following advice from the ongoing inquiry, in 2022 the government made interim payments of £100,000 each to around 4,000 surviving victims and some bereaved partners. In April last year, Sir Brian Langstaff, the inquiry chair, called for a full compensation scheme to be set up immediately.
According to The Sunday Times, those infected with contaminated blood and also affected family members, such as siblings, children and parents, will be eligible for compensation payments. It is expected that payments will be based on a “tariff” system devised during a five-week consultation. Victims will hold a minute’s silence outside Parliament today
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