Read a summary of this week’s evidence

Written by Jessica Bomford, October 7, 2022

This week the Infected Blood Inquiry heard from brave parents of sons infected with HIV and hepatitis C who’d been treated at Birmingham Children’s Hospital in the 1980s, as well as four people who had recently been diagnosed with hepatitis C, despite being infected decades ago. There were also two days of evidence from the inquiry’s Public Health and Administration expert group. 

The members of the Public Health and Administration group discussed a range of issues, including how to encourage long-term planning in health policy, how to avoid ‘blame culture’ when looking at things that have gone wrong and whether a return to a more localised health structure would improve patient safety.

Giving evidence about Birmingham Children’s Hospital were, pictured, left to right, Elisabeth Buggins, Brenda Haddock, Linda Woolliscroft and Mr and Mrs BE who wanted to remain anonymous. 

Witnesses Robert Ellinor, Wendy Woods, Mrs BF and Mr BG spoke about their late hepatitis C diagnoses. All had been infected in the 1970s or 1980s and had been diagnosed with hepatitis C since the inquiry was announced in 2017.

This was the last personal evidence to be given to the inquiry and there are now only a few more weeks of oral evidence remaining. Inquiry Chair, Sir Brian Langstaff, paid tribute to the 230 infected and affected people who have given evidence and more than 3,500 who have provided written statements. He said: ‘Each of you have helped to place another piece in the jigsaw puzzle about what happened and why.’

Click here for a summary of this week’s evidence.

Transcripts of inquiry evidence are available here. A weekly summary of previous hearings can be found here.

Follow the inquiry through the Haemophilia Society’s dedicated Twitter account or join our Facebook page for daily updates on evidence when the inquiry is sitting.