Contaminated blood scandal campaigners are furious that the Government has yet to publish a report setting out a "framework" for compensation.
Sir Robert Francis QC was asked by the Cabinet Office to produce a report laying out" options for a framework for compensation for the victims of the infected blood tragedy" last September. He has now submitted the report to the Government, but this report has as yet been kept from those it concerns.
Campaigners Carol Grayson and Sean Cavens have both spoken out and called for the Government to stop "showing disdain" for the victims of the scandal and to share the report.
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Carol's husband and brother-in-law Peter and Steven Longstaff were both fatally infected with viruses including HIV, while Sean is a haemophiliac who was among the youngest to be infected with hepatitis C through contaminated blood.
Sir Brian Langstaff, chair of the ongoing Infected Blood Inquiry, has also written to the Cabinet Office asking it to set out when it will publish the report. Sir Brian also wrote that the report would have to be shared with the Inquiry four weeks before Sir Robert Francis is called to give evidence - which could be as early as May 9.
The contaminated blood scandal saw thousands of haemophiliacs infected with lethal viruses such as HIV and Hepatitis C through blood products used as part of their treatment. More than 2,000 people have since died and the scandal has been called the "worst treatment disaster in NHS history". Others were also infected with viruses through contaminated blood transfusions.
Sean told ChronicleLive : "With one victim of this scandal dying every four days, why does this Government feel acceptable to allow victims to continue waiting to see the report? When will it be published? How many more of us need to die with uncertainty?
"All we ask is for the right to be treated with some decency, the right to be treated normal, so please stop showing disdain and insulting us and allow us to view the report now, so we can consider the implications of the study."
And Carol continued by explaining she had "two major concerns".
"Firstly, that those infected and affected and their legal teams won’t have enough time to digest the contents before Sir Robert Francis is called to be questioned at the Infected Blood Inquiry," she said. "I am unclear why campaigners can’t see a copy at the same time as government? What is the reason for that?"
She also said she remained concerned about why her own meeting with Sir Robert had not been included in a previous update about the report, she said it was vital that perspectives from all campaigners were included. Carol also spoke about what she was hoping to see in the report.
"Sick and dying haemophiliacs and the families of the deceased cannot afford any further delays," she said. "Time is not on our side! We hope the report will include recommendation of an interim lump sum payment to be given whilst waiting for a full and final proper level of compensation and substantial individual damages to be awarded.
"Haemophiliacs should be compensated per virus and for exposure to variant CJD and there should be claims not only for the infected person and their estate but for bereaved partners and other family members that have also suffered losses on a large scale over several decades.
"This scandal has affected all areas of a person’s life and on a scale seen only in disasters such as Chernobyl and Bhopal that are considered viable comparisons to Contaminated Blood."
In his letter to Cabinet Office minister, Michael Ellis, Sir Brian added: "You will be aware that we intend to call Sir Robert Francis QC to give evidence during the next session, which runs from the week of 9 May to the week of 25 July. The report, as written and delivered to you, will need to be available not less than four weeks in advance of the hearing date so that participants are able to read and discuss the proposals and core participants are able to suggest lines of questioning in the usual way.
"I note the intention to publish a response to the framework study at the same time as the report. This is of course a matter for you, since the report was commissioned by you, but you may wish to reflect on whether questioning in the independent setting of the Inquiry might not help to inform that response further, and that it might be a pity if those directly affected by its proposals felt that decisions were being made about them behind closed doors without their input.
"The Inquiry is currently timetabling witnesses to be heard in the next session. It is therefore important for the Inquiry to know when you expect to publish the report. I should be grateful if you could confirm this in your reply."
A Government spokesperson said: "Sir Robert Francis delivered his report to the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 14 March.
"His report is receiving careful consideration, and it is the Government's intention to publish both the report and the Government response at the earliest opportunity, and before Sir Robert gives evidence to the public Inquiry, allowing time for the Inquiry and its core participants to consider the study and the Government response."
