Contaminated Blood Scandal

Making headline news this week is the opening of a public enquiry looking into what has been dubbed the worst ever NHS treatment disaster.

The public enquiry relates to thousands of people who receiving infected blood products from the NHS during the 1970’s and 1980’s.

Nearly 3,000 people with haemophilia and other bleeding disorders have died and thousands more are believed to have been infected with HIV, Hepatitis and other potentially fatal viruses because they were injected with contaminated blood products used to help their blood clot.  People who underwent blood transfusions, for example following an accident, or after complications with childbirth or routine dental treatments, were also exposed to the contaminated blood.

Much of the contaminated blood came from paid donors in the United States including prison inmates and drug addicts, whose blood carried HIV, Hepatitis C and/or other potentially fatal viruses.

The affected families and campaign groups have campaigned long and hard to make the public enquiry a reality.

It is hoped that the public enquiry will properly investigate the incident and uncover the truth, bringing justice and ultimately closure for victims and their families.  Affected families quite rightly want anyone who may be responsible to be held accountable for their actions and be prosecuted.

Whilst compensation will not ease the loss of loved ones, or the many years of pain and suffering experienced by the victims, it is possible, depending upon the outcome of the investigation, that the enquiry could open the door to compensation claims through the Courts.

At Williamsons we deal with a large variety of clinical negligence compensation claims and we often see that our client’s need for answers and an apology from the wrongdoer is equally, if not more important to them than the amount of compensation they receive.

If you feel that you have been the victim of any form of medical negligence by treatment received from the NHS, or any private hospital, GP, Dentist or other health professional, please do not hesitate to contact our Clinical Negligence Department.