- Government makes changes to the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme in response to new recommendations from the Infected Blood Inquiry
- Changes include modifications for those who have endured treatments with adverse side effects, and chronic Hepatitis C individuals
- Further changes will address compensation for affected victims and their estates
More victims of the infected blood scandal will be able to claim compensation as the government proposes changes to the existing Infected Blood Compensation Scheme.
Changes could result in over a thousand people receiving a higher amount of compensation than they would have under the existing scheme.
The proposed changes will ensure that those who endured treatments with adverse side effects, such as interferon, will receive higher compensation to what is currently provided.
The changes will also provide further compensation for the impacts currently recognised by the Infected Blood Support Scheme ‘Special Category Mechanism’, provided to chronic Hepatitis C individuals who have experienced a significant impact on their ability to carry out daily duties.
Further changes will address compensation for affected victims. Under the existing scheme, if an affected person – a spouse, partner, sibling, parent or unpaid carer of an infected person – passed away, their claim would die with them.
However, changes to the scheme will now mean that if the affected person has died or dies after May 21st 2024, their estate will be able to make a claim. While the total number of affected victims is not known, this could enable significantly more people to receive compensation.
These changes come in response to 16 new recommendations from the Infected Blood Inquiry, published in its Additional Report on Compensation on Wednesday 9th July.
Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General, Nick Thomas-Symonds, set out these changes today in Parliament.
He said
When I appeared before the Inquiry in May, I said that I would take a constructive approach and – carefully – consider the issues that had been put to me.
I have concentrated on removing barriers to quicker compensation, working with IBCA, and am determined to deliver improvements based on this new report.
Our focus as we move forward must be working together to not only deliver justice to all those impacted, but also to restore trust in the state to people who have been let down too many times.
Today, the government has also announced that Clive Smith, President of the Haemophilia Society, will be the Chair of the Infected Blood Memorial Committee.
Mr Smith will lead the work to create a national memorial to the victims of the Infected Blood Scandal. This project will include plans for a UK memorial and support memorials in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
In line with the Infected Blood Inquiry’s recommendation, the Committee will also develop plans for commemorative events and is planning to hold the first by the end of 2025.
Incoming Chair of the Infected Blood Memorial Committee Clive Smith said
A memorial to the thousands who have died from the contaminated blood scandal is long overdue. It is a great privilege to be asked to lead this important work on behalf of the community.
I am conscious that we are already behind in relation to implementing the Infected Blood Inquiry’s recommendation that community events be held on a 6-month basis post the Inquiry reporting. We intend to correct that by the end of this year.
I look forward to working with the whole community across the UK on building an appropriate memorial to those we have lost and to act as a lasting memorial to the Nation of what can happen when patient safety is not prioritised.
Ends
