Overview

This bill aims to provide support for individuals infected with diseases through contaminated NHS blood and blood products, as well as their families. It establishes a committee to advise on haemophilia treatment, improves blood safety measures, introduces an NHS compensation card scheme, provides financial compensation, and conducts a review of existing support mechanisms.

Description

The bill creates a committee to advise on haemophilia treatment, focusing on therapy selection, accessibility, financial needs, and international comparisons. It mandates improved blood safety through testing donors and recipients for various infections (hepatitis B, C, HIV, HTLV, syphilis, and variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease) and prion filtration. A scheme will issue NHS Compensation Cards providing free healthcare benefits (prescriptions, counselling, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and home nursing) and priority NHS treatment. Financial compensation will be provided to those infected, their carers, widows, and dependants, without means-testing or other limitations based on the reason for treatment, age, or infection date. An appeal mechanism for rejected claims is included. Finally, a review will assess support for dependants, medical insurance needs, the number of potentially affected individuals, and funding for relevant charities.

Government Spending

The bill will likely result in increased government spending due to the financial compensation scheme, the provision of free healthcare benefits through the NHS Compensation Cards, and the costs associated with the committee, review, and improved blood safety measures. Specific figures are not provided in the bill text.

Groups Affected

• Individuals infected with diseases through contaminated NHS blood or blood products: Will receive financial compensation, free healthcare services, and priority NHS treatment.
• Carers of infected individuals: Eligible for financial compensation.
• Widows and dependants of infected individuals: Eligible for financial compensation.
• People with haemophilia: Will benefit from improved treatment advice and blood safety measures.
• Blood donors: Subject to more stringent testing and safety measures.
• NHS: Will be responsible for administering the compensation scheme and providing healthcare benefits.
• UK Government: Will bear the financial costs of the bill.
• Charities supporting people with haemophilia: May see changes in funding based on the review's recommendations.

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