In a win for the Daily Mail’s 32-year crusade, thousands of victims of the tainted blood scandal will get £100,000 in compensation apiece.
The Government promised yesterday that the interim payment will be granted to survivors of the worst treatment catastrophe in NHS history as well as spouses of those who have passed away by the end of October.
The money will go to almost 4,000 people, but activists claim that the majority of those impacted, including grieving parents and victim’s children, have so yet gone unnoticed.
Through tainted blood supplies imported from the US in the 1970s and 1980s, the scandal is thought to have contributed to 2,400 estimated deaths of persons with HIV and hepatitis C.
The Daily Mail has long advocated for those affected by contaminated blood to get compensation and has brought attention to their predicament since 1990.
The move comes in response to Sir Brian Langstaff’s public inquiry’s findings, which determined that victims should get £10,000 minimum settlements. Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland will all get the same funds.
The interim payments will be made as soon as possible, according to Prime Minister Boris Johnson. “While nothing can undo the pain and suffering endured by those affected by this tragic injustice, we are taking action to do right by victims and those who have tragically lost their partners,” he said. We’ll keep supporting everyone affected by this terrible incident.
Families and activists, however, have argued that the payout is insufficient and have renewed requests for an apology.
It overlooks many of the victims, including children who have lost parents and elderly parents who have lost children, according to Lauren Palmer, 38, of Bristol, who lost both of her parents when she was just nine years old.
It’s good news for certain members of our community, but it doesn’t assist many victims, so it’s bittersweet. It’s insufficient.
When the public investigation is finished early next year, final recommendations on compensation for a larger group of individuals, including bereaved parents and the children of victims, are anticipated.