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PEOPLE REGISTERING AT A NEW GP WILL LIKELY SEE THE CHANGE FIRST HAND 10:49, 29 May 2025 After the Government’s latest update on compensation for victims of the infected blood scandal, GPs
are becoming the new forefront in the search for people that may not realise they are victims too. This could entitle them to hundreds of thousands of pounds through the compensation scheme.
From June 16, anyone registering at a GP for the first time and born on or before December 31, 1995, should be asked if they had a blood transfusion before 1996. This equates to around
400,000 people registering with GPs each year. If they did get a transfusion, they will be offered a test for hepatitis C to check if they're a victim of the infected blood scandal.
This will be a discreet, self-testing kit that people can complete at home. It involves a finger-prick blood sample that is then posted to a lab for analysis. Testing will also be available
at GP surgeries, sexual health clinics and other services. The condition can infect the liver and cause life-threatening damage over many years, but people may not even recognise that
they're sick. NHS England noted: “It often does not have any noticeable symptoms until the liver has already been significantly damaged, meaning many people have the infection without
realising it.” The new question and test follow a recommendation by Sir Brian Langstaff in the Infected Blood Inquiry report, published in May 2024. The infected blood scandal saw more than
30,000 people receiving contaminated blood products in the 1970s and 1980s. This resulted in HIV and hepatitis C infections in what has been dubbed the biggest treatment disaster in the
history of the NHS. The inquiry declared that victims had been failed “not once, but repeatedly”. Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS National Medical Director, said: “The failures of the
contaminated blood scandal have had a horrifying impact for patients and their families for decades, and I would like to reiterate our deepest apologies for the role the health service
played in the suffering and loss for so many. “The NHS is dedicated to implementing the inquiry’s recommendations and this simple change to the GP registration process for patients is a
vital step forward in ensuring that nobody affected by contaminated blood is living undiagnosed and unsupported. Article continues below “By routinely checking their risk when anyone signs
up to a new GP and offering fast hepatitis C tests where necessary, we will ensure any undiagnosed cases can be found and treated as quickly as possible, while enabling thousands more to
receive the reassurance of a negative test.” In October, Chancellor Rachel Reeves revealed the previous government had set aside £11.8billion to pay in compensation to victims. The
Conservative government suggested the following rates for people, according to the BBC: * A person infected with HIV could expect between £2.2million and £2.6million * A person infected with
chronic hepatitis C could expect between £665,000 and £810,000 * The partner of someone infected with HIV who is still alive could get £110,000 * The child of someone infected with HIV who
is still alive could get £55,000