Infected blood scandal: Hampshire victim says compensation should be issued with "no further delay"

A victim of the infected blood scandal has called upon the government to compensate her and others "with no further delay".

During the 1970s and 80s, thousands of NHS patients were infected with blood that had been contaminated with HIV and hepatitis C. Last year, an inquiry concluded that victims of the scandal should be compensated with payments no less than £100,000.

Earlier this week, (December 4) MPs backed a vote to speed up compensation for the victims - going against the government, its first defeat since Rishi Sunak became prime minister. The vote was passed by 246 votes to 242 after 22 Conservatives rebelled.

Jackie Britton, from Fareham, had a blood transfusion in 1983 after the birth of her first child, and in 2011 found she had been transfused infected blood. Since then, she has been campaigning for justice and compensation, rallying other victims to her cause.

She said: "I was shocked that it was so close and feel betrayed that so many MP's were still willing to toe party line to vote against the moral case for setting up a compensation scheme at pace - we are still dying at approximately one every four days. Their platitudes towards our community of dead and dying mean nothing when their actions speak volumes.

"I had to endure travelling to London on Friday to Kings Hospital for my six month scan and clinic. The trauma this causes every six months to see if I've dodged the cancer bullet once again cannot be underestimated. Having had two scans where new lesions on my liver were picked up and then having to have further CT's to dismiss cancer, no scan can be taken for granted. The mental, emotional and physical toll continues for all of us.

"I'm hoping with the win last night the government will be forced to have a compensation scheme in place for when Sir Brian publishes his final report - over 500 have died during this inquiry. Once the recommendations have been released there should be no further delay on government's part before infected and affected are compensated for their decades of suffering and loss."

On the list of Conservative rebels for the vote were former ministers Sir Robert Buckland, Damian Greene, Chloe Smith and Dame Andrea Jenkyns.

"Our thanks to Dame Diana Johnson and all the MPs that have campaigned beside her for many years cannot be shouted strongly enough," Jackie added. "We will be eternally grateful for those that stayed true even when politically it was made difficult for them."