Infected blood victims die two a week when thousands of compensation are waiting

Sacrifice of infected blood die “two a week” while waiting for compensation for the largest scandal in the history of the NHS, say activists.

More than 30,000 people in Great Britain received treatments with HIV and hepatitis C between the late 1970s and early 1990s, which led to more than 3,000 deaths.

Tony Summers, 89, whose son died after receiving infected blood products, said that he had noticed that he could not receive compensation until 2029 and fear that he could be dead beforehand.

A Labor MP described the delay as “embarrassing”, while the infected Blood Employment Authority (IBCA) said that its priority was “paying compensation as soon as possible”.

In May 2024, a public investigation showed that the authorities are the scale of what is known today Infected blood scandal.

In response to this, the British government put 11.8 billion GBP aside to compensate the victims – including parents, children and siblings – from which there could be up to 140,000.

But many victims, charity organizations and the chairman of the investigation, Sir Brian Langstaff, have concerned about the implementation of the compensation and the time they need.

So far, forty people have accepted compensatory offers, according to the IBCA.

HIV and hepatitis C was diagnosed with Mr. Summers’ son Paul after a blood cleaning product was used to treat hemophilia.

He died in 2008 at the age of 44.

“I’m just so proud of what [Paul] Reasured because he had so much to offer, “said Mr. Summers from Llantwit Major in the Glamorgan valley.

“I would like to have the feeling that everything we started in 1984 was a long journey, we won’t be lost.

“We will have achieved and that will give me more satisfaction than anything else. Just to feel the right thing.

“It is probably the most important thing in my life to get to the end. I just want this to be over.”

Mr. Summers claims that he had notified that he could not receive compensation until 2029 – five years after the final report of the final report of the investigation.

“Until then, I am 93, you are caught up with doubts,” he said.

“People still die from affected diseases. Parents die. So it feels like there is a policy [of] “If we stay long enough, we don’t have to pay the money”. “

Lynne Kelly, Chairman of Hemophilia Wales, said people wanted to close after more than four decades.

“People are currently dying two a week, so we are in a really difficult position,” she said.

“They delay and delay because more and more people die.

“The infected people die, and when the person concerned dies, their claim dies with them so that there is no claim, and piece by piece, fewer and fewer people have compensation and less money are paid.

“They have been ignored for 40 years, they have been fighting for 40 years. We believe that the story is repeated. It is heartbreaking.”

The IBCA manages payments that are exempt from tax and do not affect the services.

A person infected with HIV could expect compensation between 2.2 and 2.6 million GBP.

Those with chronic hepatitis -c infection that is permanently defined as more than six months could expect to receive between 665,000 and 810,000 GBP.

The partner of someone who is infected with HIV who is still alive today could expect to receive around £ 110,000.

Around 4,000 survivors or their surviving families have also received interpretations worth up to 310,000 GBP since 2022.

Labor MP Clive Efford, the chairman of the Allparty Parlamental Group (AppG) for hemophilia and contaminated blood, said that the situation had become “an embarrassing problem for the government”.

“We owe these people to bring this compensation out of the door as soon as possible because they have suffered for many, many years that they were forced to take over the state.”

David Foley, IBCA’s interim manager, said his priority is to “design and build up and build up an application for compensation as soon as possible”.

Mr. Foley said the IBCA has now contacted more than 250 people, but he said that they are “very aware that there is much more expected compensation”.

“We will further increase the number of compensatory payments while we further create the damage service,” he added.

“We endeavor to make payments to the majority of infected people and the majority of people affected by 2027 by 2029 – and make these payments faster than these.”