Inquiry to take place into contaminated blood scandal

An inquiry will take place to look into a possible cover-up by authorities and whether documents were destroyed in relation to a contaminated blood scandal which left over 2,400 people dead.

Thousands of patients were infected with hepatitis C and HIV in the 1970s and 1980s, in what has been named as the worst treatment disaster in the history of the NHS. Many patients say they were not told of the risks involved in the treatment.

Evidence will begin to be gathered this week and it is expected that the inquiry will take between two and four years.

Sir Brian Langstaff, who is chairing the public enquiry, said “What is difficult to comprehend is the sheer scale of what happened.

“The numbers of people, both adults and children, from all walks of life, who were infected by Hepatitis viruses, or HIV, from clotting factor or transfused blood runs into thousands.

“At least as many more – including partners, children, parents, families, friends or carers – have been affected.

“This may have happened principally in the 1970s and 1980s, but the consequences persist today, with people continuing to feel the mental, physical, social, work-related and financial effects.”

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Posted by Karen Motley, Paralegal, Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (karenmotley@chadlaw.co.uk), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

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