North Yorkshire victim of infected blood scandal says time running out to get justice
The Infected Blood Inquiry published its main report on the scandal in May last year, and a compensation scheme was announced a day later
A North Yorkshire man says justice is long overdue for victims of the infected blood scandal.
The probe into this scandal re-opens today and runs through to 8th May (Thursday).
It will examine how effective the Government's response has been, when it comes to rolling out compensation to the tens of thousands of victims in this scandal.
Official estimates say over 30,000 people were given contaminated blood between 1970 and 1990.
"I want to wake up one day and be free of it"
Richard Warwick was a former pupil at the Lord Mayor Treloar School and College in Hampshire between 1976 and 1982, which at the time was a boarding school for children with haemophilia, an inherited disorder where the blood does not clot properly.
He was infection with hepatitis B and HIV as a child.
"We feel we've been left in the dark, not knowing what to expect — if anything will be paid before people die.
We are losing two every 10 days as it is.
People can't make plans, they don't know if they are going to get invited.
It's just so depressing, so demoralising. There is no reason why they can't make these payments."
"I've come down to London to see the next two days of hearing and I just hope Sir Brian Langstaff can kick the Government into making some substantive action and making these payments to people who so desperately need them."
What's the latest?
The Infected Blood Inquiry published its main report on the scandal in May last year, and a compensation scheme was announced a day later.
In her October Budget, Chancellor Rachel Reeves allocated £11.8 billion to compensate victims, administered by the Infected Blood Compensation Authority, (IBCA).
Inquiry chairman Sir Brian Langstaff has said the victims and families of those affected by the scandal have been left feeling distressed and powerless by the Government's approach to compensation.
He said that people infected and affected by the scandal "do not have time on their side".
In April, Mr Thomas-Symonds has said he is "restless for progress" in issuing payments to the infected blood scandal victims.
As of April 24, some 475 people have been invited to make a claim and 77 payments have been made totalling more than £78 million, according to IBCA figures.
"Our priority remains paying as many people as soon as possible"
A spokesperson for the IBCA said: "Those impacted by the infected blood scandal have waited decades for recognition and compensation, and that is why our priority remains paying as many people as soon as possible.
"We have learned from every claim we have supported since we started to open our service in October 2024.
"Now we are using everything we have learned to increase the number of claims each week.
"As we continue to pay compensation to those who are infected and registered with a support scheme, we are also expanding our team of trained claim managers, this means we can make more payments and make them faster.
"At the end of April, we opened our service to 200 more people and from May 5 we will open our service to another 200 people. From then on, we will ask for an average of 100 people to start their claims each and every week."
"We remain fully committed to co-operating with the inquiry"
A Government spokesperson said: "The victims of this scandal have suffered unspeakably.
"We remain fully committed to co-operating with the inquiry, are acting on its recommendations, and are grateful for its work to date.
"We have paid nearly £80 million in compensation so far, and have set aside £11.8 billion to deliver what is one of the most comprehensive compensation schemes in modern history."