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| NHS tainted blood scandal: scheme to compensate victims to be scaled back | |
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| A scheme to compensate the victims of an NHS blood contamination scandal is to be scaled back under government plans announced on Monday. | A scheme to compensate the victims of an NHS blood contamination scandal is to be scaled back under government plans announced on Monday. |
| Ministers believe the reforms are necessary because more people are now considered likely to develop serious health issues – and be entitled to higher payouts – pushing the programme as much as £123m over budget. | Ministers believe the reforms are necessary because more people are now considered likely to develop serious health issues – and be entitled to higher payouts – pushing the programme as much as £123m over budget. |
| The government has proposed measures that would cut predicted costs, including limiting the availability of the higher level of financial support under the scheme. | The government has proposed measures that would cut predicted costs, including limiting the availability of the higher level of financial support under the scheme. |
| Campaigners said they had significant concerns about the proposed changes. While the Haemophilia Society welcomed the greater clarity, it said it was not confident that the government would achieve its aim of ensuring that no one who received an annual payment would be left worse off. | Campaigners said they had significant concerns about the proposed changes. While the Haemophilia Society welcomed the greater clarity, it said it was not confident that the government would achieve its aim of ensuring that no one who received an annual payment would be left worse off. |
| The scheme was set up to compensate the victims of the tainted blood scandal in the 1970s and 80s, during which thousands of haemophiliacs were mistakenly given blood contaminated with hepatitis C. | The scheme was set up to compensate the victims of the tainted blood scandal in the 1970s and 80s, during which thousands of haemophiliacs were mistakenly given blood contaminated with hepatitis C. |
| “In July 2016, estimates suggested that the reform would be affordable,” the government’s review said. But the Department of Health now believes that more people with pre-cirrhotic hepatitis C would benefit from the scheme’s higher tier of payouts than previously forecast. “Under new assumptions, the reforms would lead to an estimated overspend of between £76m and £123m,” the department’s impact assessment says. | “In July 2016, estimates suggested that the reform would be affordable,” the government’s review said. But the Department of Health now believes that more people with pre-cirrhotic hepatitis C would benefit from the scheme’s higher tier of payouts than previously forecast. “Under new assumptions, the reforms would lead to an estimated overspend of between £76m and £123m,” the department’s impact assessment says. |
| In a bid to cut costs, the health minister Nicola Blackwood outlined plans to limit the highest level of financial support under the new scheme to those infected with hepatitis C who have developed advanced liver disease. A £50,000 lump sum would no longer be offered to those with less advanced infections. | In a bid to cut costs, the health minister Nicola Blackwood outlined plans to limit the highest level of financial support under the new scheme to those infected with hepatitis C who have developed advanced liver disease. A £50,000 lump sum would no longer be offered to those with less advanced infections. |
| Other changes include dropping plans to introduce a fixed increase in annual payments and reducing the budget available for discretionary payments. | Other changes include dropping plans to introduce a fixed increase in annual payments and reducing the budget available for discretionary payments. |
| In a written ministerial statement, Blackwood said: “The government does not anticipate that there will be any reduction in current spending as a result of the consultation proposals. No one who currently receives an annual payment will be worse off than they are now as a result of the proposed changes to the annual payments.” | In a written ministerial statement, Blackwood said: “The government does not anticipate that there will be any reduction in current spending as a result of the consultation proposals. No one who currently receives an annual payment will be worse off than they are now as a result of the proposed changes to the annual payments.” |
| In July, the government unveiled plans to add £125m of funding to its compensation scheme, more than doubling the DoH’s annual spend on the scheme to 2021. That included the new special appeals mechanism for those with chronic hepatitis C infection. | In July, the government unveiled plans to add £125m of funding to its compensation scheme, more than doubling the DoH’s annual spend on the scheme to 2021. That included the new special appeals mechanism for those with chronic hepatitis C infection. |
| The six-week consultation runs until 17 April. | The six-week consultation runs until 17 April. |