A government minister has stated that more victims of the infected blood scandal may pass away without ever attaining full compensation.
Nick Thomas-Symonds, the paymaster general, provided testimony during a special session of the public inquiry into what is regarded as the most significant treatment disaster in NHS history.
An estimated 30,000 patients in the UK were infected with HIV or hepatitis B and C due to treatment with a contaminated blood clotting product or blood transfusions during the 1970s and 80s.
Mr. Thomas-Symonds acknowledged that it was “profoundly unsatisfactory” that only 106 final compensation awards have been distributed, nearly a year after a critical report regarding the scandal was released.
“I will never consider this satisfactory until every individual has received the compensation they are entitled to,” the Cabinet Office minister remarked.
“The goal should be to pay individuals as swiftly as possible.”
A final report published last year revealed that the disaster could have been largely averted if different choices had been made by health authorities back then.
The report indicated that insufficient actions were taken to prevent the import of contaminated blood products from abroad during the 1970s and 80s, and it suggested there were efforts to conceal aspects of the scandal.
Last month, Sir Brian Langstaff, the chair of the public inquiry, announced two additional days of hearings in response to receiving numerous letters and emails expressing concerns about the management of the government’s compensation scheme.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves allocated £11.8bn in the last budget for final compensation awards to victims and their family members, but recent figures reveal that less than 1% of that amount, approximately £97m, has been disbursed so far.
Survivors of the scandal and some bereaved families have also received several smaller interim compensation payments over the last three years.
During an emotional panel session before an audience of about 300 people in Westminster, eleven victims and their representatives shared their experiences.
Andrew Evans, chair of the campaign group Tainted Blood, told the hearing that many victims and their families felt “betrayed and disappointed”.
“Many people have lost hope of ever receiving any compensation,” he stated.
“They feel devoid of any expectation of justice, and we cannot continue like this for much longer.”
Other witnesses criticized the manner in which individuals were contacted and “invited” to claim final compensation, likening it to “waiting for your lottery ticket to win”.
Gary Webster, a haemophiliac who contracted HIV and hepatitis C while attending Treloar’s School in Hampshire during the 1970s and 80s, remarked that “[some] individuals will never receive their compensation, and numerous claims will die with them.”
“The process is just too slow, and people will be denied the justice they deserve,” he added.
According to current regulations, if an infected person with HIV or hepatitis B or C passes away before receiving full compensation, their final award can be inherited by their relatives through their estate.
However, compensation may also be claimed by those impacted by the scandal, such as partners, siblings, or parents of a child, reflecting the separate effects on their lives.
If these individuals pass away before their compensation is determined, their claims also die with them and cannot be transferred.
During a later questioning segment, Mr. Thomas-Symonds, who oversees the government’s response, expressed that he was “restless for further progress on payments”.
The Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA), an independent entity established to provide compensation to victims, anticipates that the “bulk” of awards will be granted to infected survivors by the end of 2027, with most affected individuals, including family members and caregivers, receiving payments by the end of 2029.
Mr. Thomas-Symonds considered that timeline a “backstop” rather than a goal to aim for.
“The rationale behind this is that there may be individuals who have yet to come forward to claim,” he stated.
“I have always been clear that these are absolute backstops, and I expect the pace of these payments to accelerate moving forward.”