Wigan borough contaminated blood campaigner welcomes compensation after decades-long campaign

Thousands of survivors of the infected blood scandal will be given compensation payments of £100,000, the Government has announced, but campaigners say the majority of those affected have been ignored.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he wanted the money to be paid to victims and their surviving partners, labelling it the worst treatment disaster in the history of the NHS.

It resulted in an estimated 2,400 deaths of patients infected with HIV and hepatitis C through contaminated blood products in the 1970s and 1980s.

They were unaware they were receiving contaminated factor VIII from people who were paid to donate, including prisoners and drug addicts.

Patients were given the product for years, despite repeated warnings at the top of government.

Cases of HIV and hepatitis continued to be diagnosed decades after the first contaminations, resulting in many early deaths.

Coun Paula Wakefield says that while this is a start, the Government needs to recognise the effect it has had on people and their families.

Her father Russell Carbery was one of those who died aged 39, after contracting HIV and hepatitis B and C.

Coun Wakefield, who represents Astley and Mosley Common on Wigan Council, said: “It’s definitely a step in the right direction.

"It is the first time the Government has acknowledged that they are responsible for what happened.

"But there are still a lot of people that are missing out on these interim payments.

"The Government has had a report on the guidelines surrounding compensation, they need to get on and implement them now.”

The announcement follows recommendations by Sir Robert Francis QC, who led a review of compensation for those affected by the scandal and said there would be a “strong moral case” for offering money to victims.

Payments to those who have been infected and bereaved partners in across the UK are intended to be made by the end of October.

The inquiry, which was announced by then-prime minister Theresa May in 2017 and began the following year, has taken evidence from more than 5,000 witnesses during hearings across all four nations of the UK.

It is due to conclude next year, when final recommendations on compensation for a wider group of people – such as bereaved parents and the children of victims – are expected to be revealed.

Coun Wakefield added: “Thousands of people have been affected by it over the years due to the stigma. People were afraid to speak out.

"It took getting inquiry and the evidence released for this to happen.

"I said at the time that once people hear what’s gone on it will become apparent there was a cover-up and that the Government needs to accept responsibility.

"In my opinion people like my dad were murdered by the state and they need justice.

"My dad lost his job, we lost our home, we were getting hate mail and death threats.

"Mine and my brother’s life chances were affected because my dad wasn’t around anymore. It also had a massive impact on my mum.

"The Government have the framework now, they need to just get on with it, issue an apology and let people have closure.”