2007
3rd May – 3rd Scottish Parliament Election. The SNP Manifesto included the phrase ““Because we believe in a more accountable health service an SNP government will hold a public inquiry to find out why people were infected with hepatitis C through NHS treatment.”
SNP 47 formed a minority Scottish Government – Lab 46 – Con 17 – Lib Dem 16 – Green 2 – Ind 1
24th May – Scottish witnesses, Bruce Norval, Robert and Alice Mackie, give evidence to the Archer Independent Public Inquiry into Contaminated Blood and Blood Products. The Archer Inquiry.
27th Mar – The Archer Independent Public Inquiry into Contaminated Blood and Blood Products is opened. Following the refusal of successive UK Governments to hold a Public Inquiry The Rt. Hon The Lord Morris of Manchester invited a panel under The Rt. Hon The Lord Archer of Sandwell QC to conduct an Inquiry, independent of Government. Although invited to do so, the UK Government refused to formally take part in the process. The Archer Inquiry.
4th June – Philip Dolan gives evidence to the Archer Independent Public Inquiry into Contaminated Blood and Blood Products on behalf of the Scottish Haemophilia Forum. The Archer Inquiry.
16th Aug – Nicola Sturgeon MSP [SNP] confirms to campaigners that the pledge to hold an Scottish Public Inquiry will be honoured.
2008
5th Feb – Lord Mackay of Drumadoon’s ruling in the Judical Review of the refusal of the Scottish Ministers to set up public inquiries into deaths from Hepatitis C infection which occurred under the care of the National Health Service in Scotland. This was the first time the Scottish Government had lost a Judicial Review. Scottish Courts.
23rd Apr – Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing, Nicola Surgeon MSP [SNP] announces that there will be a judicially led public inquiry into the transmission of hepatitis C from blood and blood products to NHS patients in Scotland under section 28 of the Inquiries Act (2005). Rt. Hon Lady Cosgrove was appointed to act as chair of the inquiry although later stood down. The Official Report.
19th Aug – Nicola Sturgeon MSP [SNP] answers a written question from Mary Scanlon MSP [Con] about the risk from vCJD in relation to Haemophilia. The Scottish Parliament.
24th Nov – Nicola Sturgeon MSP [SNP] answered a written question from Patrick Harvie MSP [Green] about consultation on the terms of reference for the upcoming Public Inquiry. The Scottish Parliament.
2009
12th Jan – The Rt Hon Lord Penrose is appointed to conduct the Public Inquiry following the decision of Lady Cosgrove to stand down. The Penrose Inquiry.
23rd Feb – The Archer Report is published. The Archer Inquiry. Lord Archer Report.
31st Mar – Preliminary Hearing of the Penrose Inquiry held at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre. The Penrose Inquiry.
20th May – The Department of Health (UK) responded to the Archer Report. DH Response to the Archer Report.
24th Jun – The Penrose Inquiry calls for evidence. In particular asking for relevant documents and patient witness statements. The Penrose Inquiry.
2010
16th Jun – The Penrose Inquiry calls for applications for Core Participants. The Penrose Inquiry.
8th Sept – The Penrose Inquiry Preliminary Report is published.
9th Dec – 20 individuals and a range of organisations are given Core Participant status. The Penrose Inquiry.
2011
24th Feb – The Scottish Parliament passed the Patient Rights (Scotland) Act 2011. The Official Report. An amendment to the Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Act 2005, is made through the Patient Rights (Scotland) Act 2011, gives Scottish Ministers the power, if they wish to do so, to widen the eligibility criteria for those making a claim from the Skipton Fund. The Scottish Government.
3th Mar – Nicola Sturgeon MSP [SNP] announced that the Scottish Government would be adopting the improvements to the Skipton Fund and other support recommended by the Department of Health (UK) led Contaminated Blood Review. The announcement went further than England by allowing posthumous claims for support to be made on behalf of those who died prior to August 2003. However, in Scotland there was no specific provision made for counselling services. Critically, Nicola Sturgeon MSP [SNP] said that there would be a “further review of Stage 1 payments from the Skipton Fund and the implementation of the new measures announced today will be reviewed when the final report (and any recommendations) of the Penrose Inquiry, are considered.” The Scottish Government.
8th Mar – First block of Penrose Inquiry Public Hearings starts. It finishes on 30th March. The Penrose Inquiry.
31st Mar – The Patient Rights (Scotland) Act 2011 receives Royal Assent.
26th Apr – Second block of Penrose Inquiry Oral Hearings starts. The Penrose Inquiry.
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Campaigning in the 1st Scottish Parliament 1999 to 2003
Campaigning in the 2nd Scottish Parliament 2003 to 2007
Campaigning in the 4th Scottish Parliament 2011 to 2016
Campaigning in the 5th Scottish Parliament 2016