Infected blood scandal victims are 'scared' they won't live to see £11.8billion compensation after raft of delays
Patients given infected blood in one of the NHS 's worst treatment scandals are scared they won't live to see any compensation, say campaigners.
New hearings this week will examine the 'timeliness and adequacy' of the Government's response to payouts almost a year after a final report was published into the disaster.
More than 30,000 people were infected with HIV and hepatitis C after they were given contaminated blood and blood products between the 1970s and early 1990s.
As a result some 3,000 people died and thousands are living with ongoing health conditions.
Gary Webster, who was infected with HIV and hepatitis C in the 1970s and 1980s while he was a pupil at Lord Mayor Treloar College in Hampshire, said he felt 'things have gone downhill' since the inquiry published its main report last May.
He added: 'They're saying they hope to pay all the infected by the end of 2027 and the affected by the end of 2029.
'Well, there's two people dying a week – you only have to do the sums yourself to work out that's a lot of people that aren't going to get paid, aren't going to get the justice and will die not knowing what happened. It just compounds the injury.
'I think people are scared now that they're not going to survive until they get compensation.'
The Haemophilia Society said lives were 'ruined' by the scandal and delays to the compensation scheme have 'added to their suffering'.
Justine Gordon-Smith, whose father died after being infected with hepatitis C, said those affected by the scandal feel they are 'at the back of the queue'.
She added: 'Of course, the infected should be prioritised because they are the ones who are directly injured – I think what we're concerned about is the degree of elderly affected people – the widows that are in their 80s, the ageing parents.'
Groups representing those affected by the scandal and patients infected themselves will give evidence on Wednesday and Thursday during the latest hearings.
But Des Collins of Collins Solicitors, which represents a number of those affected, said: 'There is a sense of 'we've been here before', and nothing ever seems to change.'
Infected blood inquiry chairman Sir Brian Langstaff has said victims and families have been left feeling distressed and powerless.
Paymaster General Nick Thomas-Symonds will also give evidence, alongside senior officials from the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA).
Mr Thomas-Symonds has previously said he is 'restless for progress' in issuing payments.
As of April 24, 475 people have been invited to make a claim and 77 payments have been made.
The ICBA said they would be inviting 100 people a week to begin their claims.
A Government spokesman said: 'We have paid nearly £80million in compensation so far, and have set aside £11.8billion to deliver what is one of the most comprehensive compensation schemes in modern history.'
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