A new authority has been established to compensate victims and families affected by the contaminated blood scandal, with payments set to begin by the end of the year. The Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) was created following an inquiry into the NHS’s worst treatment disaster, which found repeated failures by the government, health service, and doctors. Jason Evans, founder of the Factor 8 campaign group, whose father died from contaminated blood, described the scheme as a significant step forward.
The scandal led to thousands of deaths and infections in the 1970s and 80s, primarily affecting haemophilia sufferers. While previous support schemes offered limited compensation, the new scheme could cost the government up to £10bn. Payouts will align with recommendations from the infected blood inquiry and cover injuries, social impact, suffering, care costs, and financial losses.
The government aims to provide compensation without the need for legal action, acknowledging the long-overdue justice for victims. However, concerns have been raised about disparities in compensation for different diseases. The Hepatitis C Trust stresses the importance of adequately addressing the devastating impacts of hepatitis on individuals’ lives.
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