Contaminated blood scandal said to be worst NHS treatment disaster ever

The public inquiry into the contaminated blood scandal will be the largest inquiry ever to be held in Britain. Almost 1,300 people have signed up as ‘core participants’ – many with both hundreds of documents to be read and their own personal accounts to be heard.

So far, it is thought that around 5000 individuals developed HIV or hepatitis C in the 1970s and 80s as a result of being infected with contaminated blood. The blood was imported from the US – much of which came from prisoners and drug users. Almost 3000 people have died so far, with the number unfortunately predicted to rise to way over 20,000.

The scale of this disaster is astounding, as is the scale of possible knowledge of the problem during the 70s and 80s. The inquiry will aim to figure out the extent to which doctors were aware of the risks of using blood imported from the US, and whether or not these risks were not explained to patients at the time.

The inquiry will also investigate who may have tried to cover up what was known and not acted on. There have been reports of documents being destroyed and medical records disappearing.

Former government ministers who were in the cabinet at the time of the scandal have been asked to give written statements for the inquiry. Lawyers have also asked some to give oral evidence.

A statement written in a letter by John Major in 1996 has been used in the inquiry. He mentions that government funding should be used to treat current patients instead of giving money to those who, at the time, received the best treatment that was available.

Amanda Cavanagh, a Medical Negligence Specialist at Ashtons Legal, says: “It is proper and right that those affected have received assurances from Sir Brian Langstaff for an open and honest investigation into this wretched situation. The scale of the alleged deceit by some medics and government officials is staggering. This is an example of what not to do when faced with potential clinical negligence claims, the cost of which could run into hundreds and thousands of pounds.”