Latest news with #InfectedBlood
Daily Mirror
29-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Advertising feature from Pride of Britain winner sets sail for ‘magical' reward After years as an NHS campaigner, Michelle Tolley couldn't believe she had been gifted a P&O Cruises holiday NHS campaigner Michelle Tolley fought for answers for the more than 30,000 people affected as part of the Infected Blood Scandal (Image: P&O Cruises)
When Michelle Tolley won an award at the Daily Mirror's Pride of Britain Awards for her campaign work, she was on top of the world. But there was another surprise in store for her. The 60-year-old (or as she likes to say, '59 plus one') has been a tireless campaigner, fighting for answers for the more than 30,000 people infected with HIV and Hepatitis C as part of the Infected Blood Scandal. Last year, she won a Pride of Britain Special Recognition Award alongside fellow campaigners Andrew Evans and Jason Evans, and was surprised with a P&O Cruises holiday from awards sponsor P&O Cruises. 'We were backstage and at first I thought they were telling us that fellow winner, midwife Agnes Nisbett, who was on stage, had been given a cruise,' says Michelle. 'And I was so happy for her. Then they said, 'No, all of you have won a cruise!'' It was the culmination of decades of ill health and hard work supporting fellow victims and holding the government to account. Michelle was infected with Hepatitis C when she received a blood transfusion following the birth of her first child in 1987. She endured 28 years of fatigue and illness, her symptoms dismissed by a doctor, before she was eventually diagnosed. And it was another year until she began treatment. 'I was so angry. I said to my husband Dean, I have to channel this into something good, or I don't know what I will do.' Michelle went on to manage a support group for fellow sufferers, worked alongside the fantastic Hepatitis C Trust, and presented at the official government enquiry. Michelle and Dean hadn't been abroad since they were married in 1984. 'I said to Dean, either I'm going on my own or you'll have to come with me,' laughs Michelle. 'We booked a Canary Islands cruise for May. It was the week before our 40th wedding anniversary, and I told P&O Cruises that if I had realised, we could have renewed our wedding vows. 'They called me back and said, 'you mentioned renewing your vows, we've organised that for you'. 'They did everything. They gave me the most beautiful bouquet of flowers, did our photographs, gave us a beautiful framed photo, and even treated us to two lovely meals.' The couple travelled aboard Ventura. Michelle's only cruise reference was a journey she took when she was nine years old in 1976, and she couldn't believe the difference. 'The enormity of seeing the ship was just mind-blowing,' she says. 'It felt like Christmas day and seeing all your presents. I had a childish urge to squeal. 'I just couldn't believe it; it was just amazing. I felt like welling up with emotion.' As well as their special vow renewal, Michelle and Dean made the most of all the facilities on board, enjoying the incredible food, the cinema and theatre, and exploring Madeira and the Canary Islands. 'At our first port of call in Madeira, I've never seen so many banana trees in all my life. I thought we'd just have a wander, but then I saw a taxi and asked him, 'how much for an hour?'. His name was Manuel, and he gave us a great price and took us on a tour of the island.' By the end of the cruise, Michelle and Dean were such converts that they booked another one right away. Now, they're getting ready for a Mediterranean cruise, escaping to the Caribbean in winter, and in 2027, they have a true adventure planned - a 108-day round-the-world cruise with P&O Cruises. After years of campaigning, Michelle is enjoying a new chapter of life. 'If you've never been on a cruise, I'd say do it,' she says. 'The facilities are fantastic, everyone is so nice, and it is great value for everything you get.'
BBC News
08-07-2025
- Health
- BBC News
What is the infected blood scandal and how much compensation will victims get?
The Infected Blood inquiry will publish a report on Wednesday about the way the government is managing compensation for Sir Brian Langstaff reopened the inquiry to take additional evidence amid "grave concerns" about the speed of than 30,000 people in the UK were infected with HIV and hepatitis C after being given contaminated blood products in the 1970s and many as 140,000 bereaved parents, children and siblings of victims may also be able to claim compensation. Who was given infected blood and how many died? Two main groups of NHS patients were affected by what has been called the biggest treatment disaster in the history of the group was haemophiliacs - and those with similar disorders - who have a rare genetic condition which means their blood does not clot with haemophilia A have a shortage of a clotting agent called Factor VIII, while people with haemophilia B do not have enough Factor the 1970s, a new treatment using donated human blood plasma was developed to replace these clotting entire batches were contaminated with deadly being given the infected treatments, about 1,250 people in the UK with bleeding disorders went on to develop both HIV and hepatitis C, including 380 children. About two-thirds later died of Aids-related illnesses. Some unintentionally gave HIV to their 2,400 to 5,000 people developed hepatitis C on its own, which can cause cirrhosis and liver is difficult to know the exact number of people infected with hepatitis C, partly because it can take decades for symptoms to appear.A second group of patients was given contaminated blood transfusions after childbirth, surgery or other medical treatment between 1970 and inquiry estimates that between 80 and 100 of these people were infected with HIV, and about 27,000 with hepatitis total, it is thought about 2,900 people have died.I lost my mum, dad and baby sister to HIV in infected blood scandalThe school where dozens of pupils died due to contaminated blood How much compensation will infected blood victims get? In October 2024, Chancellor Rachel Reeves said that the government had set aside £11.8bn to pay compensation to set up an independent arms-length body called the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) to administer those directly infected by contaminated blood products and those affected by the scandal - such as partners, parents, children and siblings - can make are exempt from tax, and do not affect final amounts for individuals are assessed against five criteria: harm caused, social impact from stigma and isolation, impact on autonomy and private life, care costs and financial the inquiry published its final report in May 2024, the then-Conservative government suggested how much people might receive:a person infected with HIV could expect to get between £2.2m and £2.6mthose with a chronic hepatitis C infection, defined as lasting more than six months, could expect between £665,000 and £810,000the partner of someone infected with HIV who is still alive today could expect about £110,000, while a child could get £55,000Compensation payments will go to the estate of infected people who have if a partner or relative who might be entitled to a payment has died, their estate will not receive any compensation calculator How much compensation has already been paid? In late 2022, following advice from the inquiry, the previous Conservative government made interim payments of £100,000 each to about 4,000 surviving victims and bereaved partners. A second interim payment of £210,000 was paid to those infected in June October 2024, the Labour government said more relatives of those who died could also apply for £100,000 interim of 1 July:Just over 2,000 people have been invited to claim - and nearly 1,700 have begun the processMore than 600 compensation payments totalling £488m have been offered460 compensation payments totalling £326m have been madeThe scheme is prioritising payments for those who have less than 12 months left to live due to any medical and their relatives have criticised the time taken to make payments, and what they say is a lack of Brian re-opened the inquiry on 7 and 8 May to take further evidence about the speed of payments. He said this reflected the gravity of concerns expressed to the additional report on compensation will be published on 9 July. Ahead of the report, the government said it would overhaul the administration of compensation to speed up payments. What did the main infected blood inquiry report say? Announcing its findings in May 2024, the inquiry said victims had been failed "not once, but repeatedly", and that the risk of viral infections in blood products had been known since chairman Sir Brian said there had been a lack of openness from the authorities and elements of "downright deception", including the destruction of documents."This disaster was not an accident," said Sir Brian. "The infections happened because those in authority - doctors, the blood services and successive governments - did not put patient safety first."The Inquiry report said:too little was done to stop importing blood products from abroad, which used blood from high-risk donors such as prisoners and drug addictsin the UK, blood donations were accepted from high-risk groups such as prisoners until 1986blood products were not heat-treated to eliminate HIV until the end of 1985, although the risks were known in 1982there was too little testing to reduce the risk of hepatitis, from the 1970s onwards How did the infected blood scandal happen? In the 1970s, the UK was struggling to meet the demand for blood-clotting treatments, so imported supplies from the much of the blood was bought from high-risk donors such as prison inmates and VIII was made by pooling plasma from tens of thousands of just one was carrying a virus, the entire batch could be blood donations were not routinely screened for hepatitis C until 1991, 18 months after the virus was first identified. When did the authorities know about infected blood? By the mid-1970s, there were repeated warnings that imported US Factor VIII carried a greater risk of attempts to make the UK more self-sufficient in blood products failed, so the NHS continued using foreign say haemophiliacs could have been offered an alternative treatment called Cryoprecipitate. This was much harder to administer, but was made from the blood plasma of a single donor, lowering the infection News has also uncovered evidence that children were infected with hepatitis C and HIV after being placed on clinical trials of new treatments - often, without their family's late as November 1983, the government insisted there was no "conclusive proof" that HIV could be transmitted in blood, a line robustly defended by former Conservative health minister Ken Clarke when he appeared before the inquiry. What happened in other countries affected by infected blood? Many other countries were affected, although some - including Finland - continued using older treatments until much later rather than switch to Factor VIII, which minimised HIV the findings of the inquiry, Sir Brian criticised UK government claims in the 1990s that screening for hepatitis C began as soon as the technology was said that 23 other countries - including Japan, Finland and Spain - introduced the screening before the the US, companies that supplied infected products have paid out millions in out-of-court and drug companies have also been convicted of negligence in countries including France and his evidence to the inquiry, former health secretary Andy Burnham suggested there may be grounds for charges of corporate manslaughter in the UK.
ITV News
18-06-2025
- Politics
- ITV News
Campaigners raise concerns over delays to the Hillsborough Law
ITV Granada's political correspondent Lise McNally looks into concerns surrounding the Hillsborough Law. Campaigners fear the proposed Hillsborough Law aimed at combatting establishment cover-ups is in danger of being watered Government promised to pass the law before the latest anniversary of the Hillsborough Disaster in April but there is still no sign of it coming before Parliament. Those who support the Bill say it is about much more than the legacy of Hillsborough - they say it's to protect all victims of avoidable harm, like the Infected Blood and Post Office scandals, Grenfell and grooming gangs. Campaigners say to be a true legacy for the '97, the Hillsborough law must contain three basic principles, to protect the public if they're caught up in any disasters where the state could try to cover up its mistakes. Duty of Candour - This would compel public bodies and their employees to tell the truth in any inquiry and actively provide evidence and assistance. Criminal Sanctions - Those found to have lied about wrongdoing must face criminal sanctions. Parity of Funding - Bereaved families should be given parity of funding, so they can afford the same quality of lawyers as the public authorities they need to challenge. It is believed that how these could work in practice have caused disagreements and delays in Whitehall. The MP for Liverpool West Derby Ian Byrne fears the Hillsborough Law will be watered down. The MP for Liverpool West Derby Ian Byrne was at Hillsborough on the day of the disaster. He is very worried that when the law finally does appear - it won't go far enough. "It's going to be a piece of legislation which changes the culture of cover ups and changes the very fabric within this country. "We cannot allow a continuation of the betrayal of the Hillsborough families and survivors in my city, if this isn't delivered." Hillsborough campaigner Margaret Aspinall told the Prime Minister to "do the right thing." Hillsborough campaigner Margaret Aspinall lost her son James in the disaster, she says any watering down of the law would be a disgrace. "We had to go campaigning to raise funds as well, trying to get over your loss. "You'll never get over that. We can't bring them back. "But to deal with the media, to campaign for funding, to beg for the release of all documentation, and not get it. We had all that to face. "Do I want other people, the ordinary people to face that ever again? No. Things have got to change. "So if we can do anything to change that system, my jobs is done. That is my job completely finished. "I thought it was finished at the second inquest, if we got accountability, never realised, my job is still not done. "And I've told Mr Starmer, it won't be done and I will never rest in peace until we have Hillsborough in all its entirety, for the good of this nation." Today the Deputy Prime Minister claimed the government 'remains fully committed' to introducing a Hillsborough Law with work 'at pace' to get it right. During Prime Minister's Questions this afternoon, Deputy PM Angela Rayner, said legislation would be brought forward 'as soon as we're confident they will deliver the justice victims deserve.' She was questioned on the delay by Anneliese Midgley, Labour MP for Knowsley. She said: ''Last Saturday marked eight years since Grenfell, eight years fighting for justice. The Hillsborough families, including Margaret Aspinall, from Huyton, have campaigned for 36 years for the Hillsborough law, decades. 'Can the Deputy Prime Minister tell me today will this Labour government bring forward the Hillsborough law without delay? Will it honour promises made to victims of state cover-ups and will it finally deliver justice for the 97?' Ms Rayner said: 'I thank my honourable friend for her question and the work with campaigners like Margaret in their fight for justice. We remain fully committed to bringing a Hillsborough Law. 'The state has failed victims and their families too many times in the past and that is precisely why our focus is on getting the legislation right. "I can assure her measures will be brought forward as soon as we're confident they will deliver the justice victims deserve and we want to do this at pace.' Until the legislation is laid down before Parliament, the legacy of the Hillsborough disaster remains up in the air.
