The Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) has taken a significant step forward in the compensation process, as shared yesterday in a community message from Interim Chief Executive David Foley. The update announced that IBCA has started testing the compensation service by inviting a small group of around 20 individuals to start their claims.
Haemophilia Scotland understands that these initial applicants, contacted by IBCA earlier this week, were chosen based on specific criteria:
- They are already eligible for compensation.
- They are registered with existing support schemes.
- They represent various regions across the UK.
- They include individuals with a range of infection types and severity.
The invitation emails to these applicants explain how the process will work, what information may be shared from existing support schemes (with the applicant’s permission), and outline the next steps of the process. Participants can then choose to proceed with their claim as part of this initial phase or wait and submit a claim at a later stage.
You can read the full message from David Foley here.
Reminder: Be Alert to Potential Fraud
Alongside the update, IBCA emphasised the importance of being cautious about potential fraud. If you receive a message or call claiming to be from IBCA and are unsure of its authenticity, please reach out to IBCA directly using the contact details shown on their official website.
- Report suspicious text messages or scam calls by texting 7726. This allows your network provider to identify and block the sender.
- To report fraud or cybercrime in Scotland, call the Police at 101. If you suspect you are a victim of fraud, notify your bank immediately.
Really disappointed that there are only 20 claimants in the initial group. This suggests to me that the IBCA do not have much confidence in the process they have developed. The feedback from such a small group will not, in my opinion, give an accurate picture of how effective the process will be nationwide.