STV News - Penrose Inquiry Begins - March 2009

STV News - The Penrose Inquiry into Contaminated Blood Begins - 31st March 2009

Victims who were infected with Hepatitis C and HIV from contaminated blood will not receive extra compensation, an inquiry heard on Tuesday.

Hundreds of people, including haemophilia sufferers and other patients, were given contaminated blood in the 1970s and 1980s.

Lord Penrose formally launched the investigation into why people became infected almost one year after it was announced by the Scottish Government.

Affected families and campaigners heard Lord Penrose, a former senior judge, describe how no individuals or institutions will be held criminally liable.

He said "actions and failures" may be identified, but added: "Neither of those matters will involve finding individuals or institutions legally liable to penalties, or for damages or for breach of duty in a legal sense.

"I know that there are some who have argued that this inquiry should be able to deal with compensation. That is not part of my remit."

Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon indicated last April that compensation would not form part of the inquiry, but it was only formally confirmed by Lord Penrose on Tuesday.

The inquiry in Edinburgh began with one minute's silence for all those who died from infected blood products.

In his opening remarks, Lord Penrose assured potential witnesses that he is "conscious of the tragic circumstances that bring us together".

He added: "We are aware also of the burden of responsibility and concern that is carried by those who treated patients, seeking to manage their illnesses, only to find that they had inflicted further pain and suffering on them.

"Many people have died. Many of the patients who survive, and the families of patients who died, deserve our deepest sympathy."

The inquiry will investigate how the NHS collected, treated and supplied blood in Scotland.

Lord Penrose will scrutinise what patients were told, how they were monitored and why patients became infected.

Concerns have been raised over access to documents dating back before devolution, but the UK Government has offered "full co-operation".

Lord Penrose was appointed to the task in January in place of Lady Cosgrove who stepped down last year for personal reasons. A similar but independently-financed inquiry in England, known as the Archer Inquiry, concluded last month that thousands of victims should be paid extra compensation.

It condemned procrastination by governments and scientific agencies in the "horrific human tragedy".

The Penrose Inquiry will take written and oral evidence from witnesses and investigate key documents dating to January 1974.

Bill Wright, from Dunkeld, Perthshire, who contracted hepatitis C from a blood product in 1986, welcomed Lord Penrose's initial "encouraging" approach.

The 50-year-old, who has mild haemophilia, said: "I was glad he held a minute's silence for those who passed away. People want different things from a public inquiry. Some want to see heads roll - I have heard that from some people. Others want an apology, others want the truth to come out. Others find themselves in financial difficulty."

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Haemophilia
• Contaminated
• Blood
• NHS
• HIV
• Hepatitis
• HVC
• vCJD
• Archer
• Inquiry
• Bad
• Hemophilia
• Tainted
• Health
• Penrose