Government announces lifetime support for infected blood scandal victims

Victims of the infected blood scandal can receive support for life, while those who were subjected to “unethical” research will get up to £15,000 extra, under changes to a multibillion-pound compensation plan.

Payouts under the scheme will start by the end of the year for survivors, and by next year for affected people such as family members under a second set of regulations. Claims for those who have already died – of which there are more than 3,000 – because of the disaster can be made through their estate.

Support scheme payments – including for bereaved partners – will continue for life as part of the plan, the Government said, as it announced it had accepted the “majority” of recommendations from an independent review.

Victims who were used for research without their knowledge will also be eligible for an extra £10,000, with a higher award of £15,000 for those who underwent treatment as children in a notorious case at Lord Mayor’s Treloar’s College.

Infected people – both living and dead – will start receiving payments through the new framework by the end of this year, while for others affected by the scandal, payments will begin in 2025, the Cabinet Office said on Friday.

It comes after senior barrister and interim chairman of the compensation authority Sir Robert Francis KC made 74 proposals to address concerns with the current compensation plans.

These included an enhanced award for those involved in a “particularly egregious” case of unethical testing at the Treloar school and an increase in the “social impact” payment for some of those affected. Pupils at the college were treated for haemophilia using plasma blood products infected with HIV and hepatitis, and NHS clinicians continued with treatments to further their medical research despite knowing the dangers, the Infected Blood Inquiry found.

Jason Evans, who set up the Factor 8 campaign group after losing his father to the scandal aged four, said: “Compensation for those impacted by the infected blood scandal has taken far too long and too many have died waiting.

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

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Source: Medscape, 16 August 2024