- 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, , 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 , President of the Haemophilia
Society, will be the Chair of the Infected Blood Memorial
Committee.
Mr 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
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.
