Contaminated blood victims write to PM for urgent action
A campaigner for the contaminated blood scandal has written a letter to the Prime Minister to call for urgent action after the next hearing date has been moved.
A further hearing into the contaminated blood inquiry was due to take place in June 2020 but has now been rescheduled to September 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic.
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The founder of a campaign for victims of the scandal has written a letter addressed to the PM, expressing his concern and frustration at the government's lack of progress since the last meeting in January.
In the letter he writes: "Some 3 months after meeting with ministers and officials at the Cabinet Office, there has still been no progress on the subject of a framework of compensation for those infected and affectedby contaminated blood products."
Jason Evans from Coventry is the founder of the campaign, Factor 8, and has been fighting for justice over the last five years.
Mr Evans sadly lost his father in 1993 after he contracted Hepatitis C and HIV due to the scandal.
WATCH his interview here:
Mr Evans says in the letter that he understands that the country is currently tackling Covid-19 but feels let down by the government:
"Recent events have shown that the government can act quickly when it wants to. We have been repeatedly told by your government that we are a “priority” but the long delays and lack of response do not reflect this."
In a comment to ITV Central Mr Evans questioned the sincerity of January's meeting and believes that all of the victims of the inquiry are owed a sense of justice.
Mr Evans says he is keen for inquiry hearings to re-commence and hopes that the government will listen and "stop ignoring this badly harmed group of people."
More on the contaminated blood scandal:
The Contaminated Blood Scandal has been described as the greatest scandal in the history of the NHS.
Thousands of haemophiliacs and people receiving blood donations died or became seriously ill with hepatitis and HIV after they were given infected blood products by the NHS during the 1970's and 1980's.
Read more: