Government Agrees to Three-Month Deadline for Infected Blood Scheme Compensation
The UK government has agreed to establish a compensation scheme for infected blood victims within three months after a Labour amendment was passed in the Lords.
Ministers made this concession to speed up the process, as victims have waited long for justice.
However, there is a risk that the creation of the new body could be disrupted if Parliament is dissolved or adjourned for the summer recess or a general election.
In the 1970s and 80s, over 30,000 NHS patients received contaminated blood products, leading to around 3,000 deaths from HIV or hepatitis C.
This is considered the worst treatment disaster in the history of the health service.
The UK government has acknowledged the moral responsibility to compensate victims and made initial payments of £100,000 each to approximately 4,000 survivors and bereaved partners in November 2022.
Campaigners emphasize the urgency of compensation as one person continues to die every four days from these contaminated treatments.
In April 2023, Sir Brian Langstaff, the chair of a public inquiry into a scandal, urged for an immediate establishment of a full compensation scheme and extended interim payments to some families of victims who had passed away.
In December 2023, opposition MPs and Conservative rebels succeeded in a parliamentary vote to expedite the creation of a new body to manage and run the scheme, marking the first Commons defeat for Rishi Sunak as prime minister.
However, there is a risk that the creation of the new body could be disrupted if Parliament is dissolved or adjourned for the summer recess or a general election.
In the 1970s and 80s, over 30,000 NHS patients received contaminated blood products, leading to around 3,000 deaths from HIV or hepatitis C.
This is considered the worst treatment disaster in the history of the health service.
The UK government has acknowledged the moral responsibility to compensate victims and made initial payments of £100,000 each to approximately 4,000 survivors and bereaved partners in November 2022.
Campaigners emphasize the urgency of compensation as one person continues to die every four days from these contaminated treatments.
In April 2023, Sir Brian Langstaff, the chair of a public inquiry into a scandal, urged for an immediate establishment of a full compensation scheme and extended interim payments to some families of victims who had passed away.
In December 2023, opposition MPs and Conservative rebels succeeded in a parliamentary vote to expedite the creation of a new body to manage and run the scheme, marking the first Commons defeat for Rishi Sunak as prime minister.
Translation:
Translated by AI
