Contaminated Blood

New press release that simply reinforces the pervading political culture
https://www.factor8scandal.uk/state...atements?format=amp&__twitter_impression=true

 

text - with my bold

Ministers said in 2017 that:

All documents up to 1995 are available through the National Archive.
However, following an exercise conducted by Factor 8 and hundreds of Freedom of Information requests, it was found that this, in fact, was not true. We had attempted to take this issue up directly with the Department of Health to no avail and so we sought the assistance of Baroness Featherstone who was able to put forward our claims and make progress.

Jason Evans (Founder of Factor 8) said:

For many years victims and families have been told and led to believe that all available documentation and evidence relating to the scandal had been either placed into the public domain or destroyed. Quite quickly during my investigation into this claim it became apparent that there was evidence held by the Department of Health that has never been released to anybody, we are talking about many thousands of pages. The obvious question is why?

Following the apology the Department of Health has said it is now carrying out "an assurance process", they said:

In the interest of transparency, and to ensure that we are able to provide everything that may be of use to the Infected Blood Inquiry and others, I have asked officials to identify all files the
Department holds, or has held, that are in any way linked to the issue of infected blood. This
includes files on what was known about the viruses, testing for and treatment of the viruses and any other files that relate to blood donation, blood products and blood safety from the period up to 1995, and identify which of those files are already available in The National Archives, which are in the process of being transferred and which, if any, are not yet in the process of being transferred. This process of file identification will be completed shortly so that we are in a position to respond to any requests from the Infected Blood Inquiry team.

However, the Department of Health is now using it's "assurance process" to block any further Freedom of Information requests upon newly identified files by Factor 8. In a response which cancelled over 50 Pending FOI requests made by this organisation the Department of Health said:

the public interest is better served by withholding this information
The Public Inquiry into the Contaminated Blood Scandal which began on 2nd July 2018 will seek to establish if there has been a cover-up.

 

Hasn't David Owen already said that many of the files which he saw as the relevant Minister were apparently unavailable and probably shredded, when he requested sight of them.

 

What is the Blood Scandal?

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_tainted_blood_scandal

Haemophiliacs were given contaminated blood and many died of Hepatitis C. There has been a lengthy cover up.

 

In the context of ME, I also thought it a scandal that we cannot donate blood but we have a disease, to be treated according to Nice, by dealing with false illness beliefs and reconditioning. There is also a cover up of medical misfeasance/malfeasance.

 

https://twitter.com/user/status/1033811030277849089

https://twitter.com/user/status/1033824943912480771


hmm

 

Hmm
It' s similar to the Gosport Hospital scandal too - things moving now after years and years. I take it enough people have died off to reduce compensation and / or some people in charge have retired/ died ...

 

Waiting around 30 years to sort it out properly seems to be the British way - Hillsborough, Bloody Sunday ...

So the PACE inquiry should publish its findings in about 2042.

 

With a view to a future Inquiry or class action by pwME, I thought this link might be useful as a record of lawyers who act in this kind of case:

https://www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/l...um=email&utm_campaign= GAZ141016#commentsJump

 

In the UK, I should have said.