Policy

The Haemophilia Society responds to Number 10 snub on Contaminated Blood Products

Written by Aaron Dennis, June 1, 2017

Liz Carroll, Chief Executive of The Haemophilia Society, has today written another letter to the Prime Minister, expressing disappointment at the inadequate and unacceptable response from Government.

Last month The Haemophilia Society wrote alongside campaign groups and 100s of affected individuals to the Prime Minister setting out the scandal of NHS treatment with contaminated blood products in the 1970s and 1980s. We demanded truth and justice for those affected via a public inquiry.

The only reply we received was a Letter from Number 10 saying that they would arrange for the Department of Health (DH) to reply and a subsequent letter from the DH merely stating that ‘I note your concerns’.

In today’s letter Liz Carroll writes “Our members were harmed by the actions of the NHS and the Department for Health and, hence, are rightly offended by the repeated referral of their concerns to the organisations that caused their harm.”

Whilst Labour, the SNP, the Liberal Democrats and the SDLP added their parties commitments to the support of a large number MPs in the last parliament representing parties across the House, the Conservative Party made no mention of the Scandal in their manifesto.

Liz Carroll concludes “Our demands are clear, that the Government set up a full UK wide public inquiry, something which has never previously occurred, with power to compel witnesses under oath, release all documents for public scrutiny and have a remit to consider failures in government policy and negligence by public bodies.”

“As Prime Minister only you are in a position to deliver this, which is why we continue to seek your response to ensure truth, justice and compensation for all those affected.”