Report Suggests Infected Blood Scandal Could Have Been Prevented
The public inquiry into the infected blood scandal has released a report that highlights numerous failures by successive governments.
A recent report from the public inquiry spanning six years and costing millions of pounds suggests that the infected blood scandal “could largely have been avoided.” Chairman of the inquiry, Sir Brian Langstaff, criticized the systemic cover-up and a series of failures by governments since the 1970s.
During the 1970s and early 1990s, thousands of individuals in the UK were infected with HIV, hepatitis, and other deadly viruses from contaminated blood and factor VIII products. The death toll of around 3,000 continues to rise, alongside numerous others enduring lifelong health issues.
He highlighted the lack of response from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, then-chancellor in 2020, to begin work on compensating those affected despite urgent requests from Penny Mordaunt, the then-paymaster general.
Sir Brian expressed that there is still uncertainty among those affected regarding any compensation scheme and expects an official apology from Mr. Sunak for the government’s historical failures.
The government is anticipated to unveil a £10 billion compensation scheme, following the revelation that most contaminated blood was imported from the US, where paid donors included drug addicts and prisoners.
The report unveils a “catalogue of failures” and paints a horrifying picture of the events surrounding the scandal, branding them as the “worst treatment disaster in the history of the NHS.” Sir Brian pointed out the dire consequences of the decisions made and the pain inflicted on the victims.
For Martin Reid, a survivor from Aberdeenshire, the infected blood scandal has left a lasting impact, echoing the sentiments of many others affected by this tragedy.
Moreover, the report implicates a subtle yet pervasive cover-up by various governments, exposing a disturbing truth that has been hidden for decades.
As Sir Brian demanded accountability and action from the government, Scotland’s public health minister also issued a sincere apology to those affected by the scandal, emphasizing the need to rectify the wrongs inflicted upon the victims.
PA Media contributed to this report.
