ITV to follow Mr Bates Vs The Post Office success with infected blood scandal drama

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ITV is to follow the success of Mr Bates Vs The Post Office with a drama exploring the contaminated blood scandal – extensively recognised as among the many darkest episodes in NHS historical past.

The Independent can verify double-BAFTA winner Peter Moffat will write the brand new drama, which can present how sufferers affected by haemophilia and different blood issues have been contaminated with infected blood.

Between 1970 and the early Nineties, an estimated 30,000 individuals within the UK got blood transfusions infected with hepatitis C or HIV. At least 2,400 individuals died in consequence, whereas greater than 4,000 survivors proceed to endure the results of the catastrophic error.

The present will study what medical doctors, politicians and pharmaceutical corporations knew concerning the danger, and the scandal that has endured for greater than 50 years.

In 2022 the Infected Blood Inquiry was established to examine how the transfusions have been allowed to happen. At the identical time, the federal government introduced that victims would obtain £100,000 in compensation. However, Rishi Sunak has since been criticised for the velocity of the federal government’s response and delays in funds.

ITV bosses will likely be hoping to replicate the impression of Mr Bates vs the Post Office, which explored the a whole lot of subpostmasters who have been wrongly in one of many worst miscarriages of justice in British historical past.

The scandal started when Fujitsu’s defective Horizon accounting software program made it seem as if cash was lacking from Post Office branches. Subpostmasters have been compelled to pay again many 1000’s of kilos, whereas a whole lot have been convicted based mostly on the faults.

The ITV drama prompted a public outcry, putting Rishi Sunak’s authorities is below growing stress to velocity up compensation funds to victims and to get their wrongful convictions quashed.

Show author Peter Moffat stated: “It’s been a great privilege to meet those infected and affected and to learn about what they have been through. I’m ashamed to say that when I started researching this story I knew next to nothing about it.

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“I’m even more ashamed that this ignorance is shared by nearly everyone I mention it to. The victims of this scandal have been let down again and again by the state – I hope in some small way this drama can help their voices be heard.” 

Polly Hill, ITV’s Head of Drama stated: “Peter’s scripts are brilliant and do justice to this important story, while bringing it to screen with real clarity and compassion.”