Infected blood victims want Post Office scandal style TV drama in bid for justice

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Infected blood victims have welcomed the thought of a Post Office scandal-style drama about their very own expertise of injustice, a lawyer mentioned.

Des Collins, senior companion of Collins Solicitors, which represents 1,500 victims and their households, mentioned most of his shoppers would welcome a TV drama as it could entice extra consideration than information protection.

He mentioned since ITV programme Mr Bates Vs The Post Office started, households had come ahead asking why that they had not had the identical protection.

“They phone up and say ‘have you seen it, why aren’t we getting this coverage’ and they do feel marginalised,” Mr Collins mentioned.

“But it is not a question of – we’re entitled to it, they’re not – it’s the question of everyone who is wronged in these circumstances as a result of whatever went wrong.

“Whether it’s the Post Office scandal or the contaminated blood crisis, it requires the Government to react properly, objectively and fully,” he added.

In the Seventies and Eighties, 1000’s died in what’s broadly recognised because the worst therapy catastrophe in the historical past of the NHS after being given blood merchandise contaminated with HIV and Hepatitis C.

It comes as Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt mentioned it could not take an ITV drama for compensation to victims of the scandal to be resolved.

Ms Mordaunt was talking in the Commons as she confronted calls to hurry up justice for the victims of different scandals after latest Government bulletins on compensating wrongly convicted subpostmasters following the airing of the ITV drama on the problem.

While the Commons Leader defended the Government’s actions in making an attempt to resolve “some very difficult and long-running issues”, she mentioned she would communicate to the Cabinet Office to make sure classes are realized “particularly” from the previous few weeks.

But Mr Collins mentioned his shoppers want to see “less words and more action”. He mentioned: “Penny Mordaunt says, well this is very serious, and it is, and that we can rely on the Government to do the right thing, they regard it as important but so far that has not been the evidence which has presented itself to the victims.

“Similarly, with the Post Office victims, there was a lot of talk over the last two or three years insofar as the postmasters were concerned that it was being looked at very seriously and they were going to do the right thing, but they didn’t until someone basically, took a stick to them, the world’s press took a stick to them.

“It’s good that that happened, and it wasn’t before time, but clearly my clients are concerned that that will never happen to them and they are concerned that the response of the Government to the compensation framework, which should have been set up six months ago, at least six months ago, is now pushed forward at the earliest opportunity.

“All very well for Penny to say something in the House this afternoon but I think my clients would like to see less words and more action.”

Mr Collins added that the Infected Blood Inquiry doesn’t appear to have “cut through the impasse” however his shoppers really feel that the ITV drama has.

He mentioned: “They think that would be something which would assist them or their cause and I can’t disagree with them.”

Mr Collins mentioned he believes if the Infected Blood Inquiry and the interim report had been given the identical protection because the Post Office scandal, then the Government “would have reacted”.

He mentioned the households have the “utmost sympathy” for the victims of the Post Office scandal however that the Government will “only react in a certain way at a certain time” and the response to the Infected Blood Inquiry has been “woefully inadequate”.

A Government spokesperson mentioned: “This was an appalling tragedy, and our thoughts remain with all those affected.

“We are clear that justice needs to be delivered for the victims and have already accepted the moral case for compensation.

“The report covers a set of extremely complex issues – and the Government intends to respond in full to Sir Brian’s (Langstaff) recommendations for wider compensation following the publication of the Inquiry’s final report in March 2024.”