The UK government expands its compensation scheme for families affected by the infected blood scandal, allowing parents, children, and siblings of victims to claim individual compensation.
Families who have been affected by the infected blood scandal in the UK ‘are set to receive compensation for their losses’.
In the 1970s and 1980s, thousands of patients in the UK received contaminated blood products, leading to the transmission of blood-borne viruses such as HIV and hepatitis.
The scandal was caused by the use of unscreened blood donations from high-risk groups, including prisoners and prostitutes.
An estimated 4,000 people died as a result, with many more left with chronic health conditions.
The UK government has since acknowledged its role in the scandal and provided compensation to affected families.
The new laws, which will be passed by March, will allow parents, children, and siblings of victims to claim individual compensation.
The UK government's compensation scheme provides financial assistance to individuals and businesses affected by various circumstances, such as 'accidents, disasters, or policy changes.'
The scheme is administered by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and offers compensation for losses incurred due to unforeseen events.
Eligibility criteria vary depending on the specific scheme, but generally require proof of financial loss and a direct link to the government's actions or policies.
Claimants can submit applications online or through local authorities.
The Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) was established last May to provide compensation to those affected by the scandal.
However, the scheme has been criticized for its slow pace, with many families waiting too long for justice. The new laws will extend the compensation scheme to include partners, parents, children, and siblings of infected individuals.
The infected blood scandal, which occurred between 1970 and the early 1990s, resulted in more than 30,000 NHS patients being given contaminated blood transfusions or treatments.
Over 3,000 people who were infected have since died. The delays in awarding compensation to those affected have caused significant distress and frustration for many families.
The new regulations will outline the compensation payments that will be made to those affected by the scandal.
The amount of each payout will depend on the individual’s relationship with an infected person and the severity of their infection.
The IBCA has about 20 claims managers but aims to recruit up to 500 to process the large number of claims.
Campaign groups have expressed concerns over the delays in awarding compensation to those affected by the scandal.
Many families have waited too long for justice, and some have even passed away before receiving any compensation. The IBCA has acknowledged the frustration caused by the slow pace of payments but is working to scale up its operations.
The IBCA has already made 11 offers of compensation totaling £13.4m.
It is intended that about 250 people will have been invited to claim by the end of March.
The authority aims to pay out more than £100m to claimants by the end of March, but this is less than 1% of the £11.8bn allocated in the autumn budget.
The infected blood scandal refers to a major medical controversy in the UK and 'Ireland' , where thousands of patients received contaminated blood products from the 1970s to the 1990s.
This led to the transmission of blood-borne viruses such as HIV and hepatitis C.
In response, the UK government established the Infected Blood Inquiry in 2016 to investigate the scandal.
The inquiry's report recommended a compensation scheme for affected individuals and their families.
As of 2022, over £10 billion has been allocated towards compensation, with many claimants still awaiting payment.
The extension of the compensation scheme to families affected by the infected blood scandal is a positive step towards providing justice for those who have been affected.
However, there are still significant hurdles to clear before the compensation scheme genuinely reflects the suffering and loss caused by this scandal.
