Sexual HealthHaemophilia Society React To Government Response To The Archer Report
Reacting to the Government"s response to the Archer Report (http://www.archercbbp.com) into the contaminated blood and blood product disaster Chris James, Chief Executive of the Haemophilia Society said:
"It is hard to believe that Ministers can actually have read Lord Archer"s landmark findings in full - still less the heartrending testimonies of haemophilia patients infected by contaminated NHS blood and blood products and the bereaved families.
"The Government claims to accept the moral case for action but then, by not implementing the recommendations in full, shows its contempt for the victims of what Lord Winston has described as the "worst treatment disaster in the history of the NHS." While haemophilia patients crossed the country to give evidence to the Inquiry no Heath Minister was prepared to even cross the road.
"The evidence heard by the Inquiry made it clear the Government had a moral responsibility for the hepatitis and HIV infections. People with haemophilia took the NHS treatment prescribed to them in good faith, trusting that the Government of the day was doing everything possible to ensure the treatment was safe. Not only was it not safe but the health authorities missed many vital opportunities to prevent these potentially deadly infections.
"After two years of careful deliberations The RT Hon The Lord Archer of Sandwell QC brought forward a series of humane and detailed recommendations to deal properly with the depth of need for those infected with HIV, Hep C, their families and those who have lost a loved ones.
"The Government talks of moral responsibility but has seen fit to try to ignore or water-down Lord Archer"s recommendations. In a week when the morality of the political process has been called into doubt it is simply unacceptable for Ministers to propose such a collection of half measures.
"This week we observed World Hepatitis Day and for the Government to deliver this insult to so many people infected with Hepatitis is shameful. Today I will be writing to the Prime Minister Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg asking for an urgent meeting to help us finding away out of this morass. I am taking this step as the Department of Health have shown themselves to be incapable of the simple human compassion and understanding required to deal with the victims of this disaster.
What makes matters even worse is the disclosure last week that 802 haemophilia patients are known to have blood from donors who subsequently died of vCJD constituting another threat to this community.
When The RT Hon the Lord Morris of Manchester*, established the Inquiry, two years ago 1,757 haemophilia patients had died of HIV and hepatitis C infection, since then the death toll has risen by 200. This only makes it more vitally urgent for the Government to settle with us on the basis of Lord Archer"s recommendations. Yet if the battle has to go on, it will, to see that right is done."
The speech by Lord Morris in the House of Lords on 23rd April 2009 sets out the whole case for settling this issue without further delay.
Haemophilia Society