Penrose Inquiry: McGuire calls for Scotland to follow ROI example in compensating victims

It received a mixed response with victims and their families expressing anger and frustration at what some see as a whitewash.

However, the families’ lawyers discussed how to move forward and how the Scottish government should fully compensate victims, in the same way the Irish government has, now that the findings have been published.

Patrick McGuire, a partner at Thompsons Solicitors (pictured), represented the families at the inquiry.

He said: “The publication of the report by Lord Penrose into the NHS infected blood scandal was a day of momentous importance for all the victims and their families.

“It was a day filled with huge emotions…..grief, anger but also resolve and utter determination to make sure that many wrongs are set right.

“We are pleased to see that the Scottish government have issued a full and frank apology. We also now expect to see as recommended by Lord Penrose that no effort is spared to find people who were infected by Hep C but are not yet aware of the fact.

“And finally we expect the Scottish government to set up their own compensation scheme for victims.

“The wholly inadequate schemes set up and administered by the UK government are no longer acceptable.

“The Scottish government must sever its links with the UK Schemes. They must look across the water to the Republic of Ireland and the scheme that exists there to provide full financial redress.

“We therefore look to the Scottish government to use the powers they have to make sure we have a properly funded solution set up and run in Scotland for Scotland.”

Chairman of Haemophilia Scotland, Bill Wright, who is also a victim of the disaster, held back tears as he pleaded with people not to walk out while the findings of Lord Penrose’s inquiry were announced on the chairman’s behalf.

He said: “It might appear at first reading, as many of you have said, to be a whitewash, with frankly some of the chairman’s assertions seemingly barely rational.

“Indeed, those of us who have had full sight of the report at first were drawn to rage by its shortcomings.”

Health secretary Shona Robison responded by apologising on behalf of the NHS and government in Scotland to all patients and families affected by the disaster.

Ms Robison accepted the report’s recommendation – that steps should be taken to offer blood tests to anyone in Scotland who had a blood transfusion before 1991 and who has not already been tested for hepatitis C.

She also confirmed that the Scottish government will carry out the following measures:

• An immediate commitment to review and improve the financial support schemes on offer to the people affected, and their families, to be concluded before World Haemophilia Day in April 2016. The Scottish government will work with the rest of the UK nations in undertaking this review

• A reference group of patients and families set up to contribute to that review

• Funding for a pilot scheme for additional psychological support for those affected, rolled out wider if needed

• Continued Scottish government funding for Haemophilia Scotland and Scottish Infected Blood Forum for at least the next three years

Ms Robison said: “Due to stringent testing of blood donations and blood donor selection criteria I am confident that today the blood supply is as safe as it possibly can be.

“Hepatitis C testing is already freely available on the health service, and awareness campaigns and look back exercises have already been carried out to find people in this situation.

“The Scottish government has already contributed around £30 million over the last ten years to the financial support schemes for those people in Scotland people affected by this tragedy.

“We acknowledge that – as Lord Penrose indicates - some people believe the levels of payments to be insufficient.

“That is why we will review the financial support schemes on offer, working with the other UK nations.”