The Cabinet Office announced today, with some pride, that the first 10 people out of a pilot of 16 applicants have accepted compensation payments totalling £13 million. This is positive news for those individuals, but many thousands still wait to have their applications processed. Six of the pilot remain to be concluded. This out of 30,000 people who were infected in the early 1970’s and 1980’s.
Nick Thomas-Symonds, Cabinet Office Minister is reported to have said “This government promised to deliver action on infected blood compensation, and today is a vital step towards delivering justice for people who have waited far to long for compensation”.
Speaking about the announcement, Bill Wright, Spokesperson for Haemophilia Scotland said “We have campaigned long and hard for compensation and recognition of the injustice suffered at the hands of the NHS and successive governments. Vindication of our campaign came with the publication of the Infected Blood Inquiry in May of this year led by Sir Brian Langstaff”.
“Regrettably the government have refused to engage with the infected blood community in the design of the compensation scheme. Our community remains concerned about many aspects of the scheme. We have repeatedly sought to engage with government but our calls have fallen on deaf ears.
“The reality is that the infected community is frustrated with the object failure of the government to listen and act on failings in the system we have brought to their attention”.