NHS managers who silence whistleblowers to be banned from senior health roles
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Leader Live
27 minutes ago
- Leader Live
Changes to infected blood compensation scheme following outcry from victims
And the process has begun to create a 'long overdue' memorial for thousands of victims of the scandal, dubbed the worst treatment disaster in the history of the NHS. Earlier this month, the Infected Blood Inquiry made a series of recommendations to improve compensation for people who were both infected with contaminated blood and people affected as a result. Responding to the report, the Government said that it was immediately accepting a number of the recommendations and will consult on others. It is not rejecting any of the recommendations. And the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) announced it will accept all recommendations relating to the compensation authority. Earlier this month, the probe into the scandal said victims had been 'harmed further' by failures in the compensation scheme. Sir Brian Langstaff, chairman of the inquiry, said the number of people who have been compensated to date is 'profoundly unsatisfactory' as he called for 'faster and fairer' compensation for victims. He said all victims should be able to register for compensation and should not have to wait to be called forward to start their claim. The Inquiry's Additional Report calls for compensation to be fairer and faster. Read the report here: — Infected Blood Inquiry (@bloodinquiry) July 9, 2025 The IBCA confirmed it will create a registration process. The Government has also accepted a number of recommendations including: – Affected people's claims will not 'die with them' and their payments will be passed on to their estates; – People infected with HIV before 1982 will be compensated – they were previously ineligible; – The requirement for people with hepatitis to provide a date of diagnosis will be abolished. Meanwhile, it said it will consult on a number of issues including: how the scheme recognises the impact of interferon treatment for hepatitis which has been linked to severe side effects; how the scheme recognises severe psychological harm; and it will also consult on the scope of how victims of unethical research are to be compensated. Elsewhere, the Government announced further interim payments to the estates of people who have died. And it also confirmed that Clive Smith, president of the Haemophilia Society, will be the chairman of the Infected Blood Memorial Committee. Mr Smith will lead the work to create a national memorial to the victims of the scandal and will 'support memorials in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland'. Cabinet Office Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds said: 'When I appeared before the inquiry in May, I said that I would take a constructive approach and, carefully, consider the issues that had been put to me. 'I have concentrated on removing barriers to quicker compensation, working with IBCA, and am determined to deliver improvements based on this new report. 'Our focus as we move forward must be working together to not only deliver justice to all those impacted, but also to restore trust in the state to people who have been let down too many times.' In a statement to the Commons, Mr Thomas-Symonds told MPs he would go further than the inquiry's recommendation on affected states. He said: 'The inquiry recommended that where someone who would be an eligible affected person sadly died or dies between the 21 of May 2024 and 31 of December 2029, their claim will not die with them, but becomes part of the estate. 'I'm actually going to extend that by a further two years to the 31st of December 2031.' David Foley, chief executive of IBCA, added: 'The community is at the heart of everything we do. We can only grow the service, and implement these new recommendations by listening to and acting on the views of the community. 'Some of the recommendations will take longer to implement, which we know may cause frustration and upset for some in the community. 'We will always act with transparency. That is why I can confirm that we will create a registration process, so that the community can tell us that they intend to make a claim. 'We will also develop the service for all groups, paying the first claims before the end of 2025. And we will improve transparency by sharing more of our processes, documents, data and plans on our website.' Incoming memorial committee chairman Mr Smith said: 'A memorial to the thousands who have died from the contaminated blood scandal is long overdue. 'It is a great privilege to be asked to lead this important work on behalf of the community. 'I look forward to working with the whole community across the UK on building an appropriate memorial to those we have lost and to act as a lasting memorial to the nation of what can happen when patient safety is not prioritised.' Today we've published our latest figures – these are accurate as of 15 July 2025. More than half of those who are living with infection and registered with a support scheme have now started their claim. Since April, we've halved average claim processing time from 60 to 30… — Infected Blood Compensation Authority (@IBCA_UK) July 17, 2025 More than 30,000 people in the UK were infected with HIV and hepatitis C after they were given contaminated blood and blood products between the 1970s and early 1990s. More than 3,000 people have died as a result, and survivors are living with lifelong health implications. The Infected Blood Inquiry published its main report on the scandal in May last year, and a compensation scheme was announced a day later. But in the same week a general election was called and officials from the IBCA have described how in the early days of the organisation it consisted of two men, a laptop and a phone. Some £11.8 billion has been allocated to compensate victims, administered by the IBCA. As of July 15, 587 people have had their compensation paid totalling more than £400 million.
South Wales Argus
43 minutes ago
- South Wales Argus
Changes to infected blood compensation scheme following outcry from victims
And the process has begun to create a 'long overdue' memorial for thousands of victims of the scandal, dubbed the worst treatment disaster in the history of the NHS. Earlier this month, the Infected Blood Inquiry made a series of recommendations to improve compensation for people who were both infected with contaminated blood and people affected as a result. Responding to the report, the Government said that it was immediately accepting a number of the recommendations and will consult on others. It is not rejecting any of the recommendations. And the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) announced it will accept all recommendations relating to the compensation authority. Earlier this month, the probe into the scandal said victims had been 'harmed further' by failures in the compensation scheme. Sir Brian Langstaff, chairman of the inquiry, said the number of people who have been compensated to date is 'profoundly unsatisfactory' as he called for 'faster and fairer' compensation for victims. He said all victims should be able to register for compensation and should not have to wait to be called forward to start their claim. The Inquiry's Additional Report calls for compensation to be fairer and faster. Read the report here: — Infected Blood Inquiry (@bloodinquiry) July 9, 2025 The IBCA confirmed it will create a registration process. The Government has also accepted a number of recommendations including: – Affected people's claims will not 'die with them' and their payments will be passed on to their estates; – People infected with HIV before 1982 will be compensated – they were previously ineligible; – The requirement for people with hepatitis to provide a date of diagnosis will be abolished. Meanwhile, it said it will consult on a number of issues including: how the scheme recognises the impact of interferon treatment for hepatitis which has been linked to severe side effects; how the scheme recognises severe psychological harm; and it will also consult on the scope of how victims of unethical research are to be compensated. Elsewhere, the Government announced further interim payments to the estates of people who have died. And it also confirmed that Clive Smith, president of the Haemophilia Society, will be the chairman of the Infected Blood Memorial Committee. Mr Smith will lead the work to create a national memorial to the victims of the scandal and will 'support memorials in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland'. Cabinet Office Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds said: 'When I appeared before the inquiry in May, I said that I would take a constructive approach and, carefully, consider the issues that had been put to me. 'I have concentrated on removing barriers to quicker compensation, working with IBCA, and am determined to deliver improvements based on this new report. 'Our focus as we move forward must be working together to not only deliver justice to all those impacted, but also to restore trust in the state to people who have been let down too many times.' In a statement to the Commons, Mr Thomas-Symonds told MPs he would go further than the inquiry's recommendation on affected states. He said: 'The inquiry recommended that where someone who would be an eligible affected person sadly died or dies between the 21 of May 2024 and 31 of December 2029, their claim will not die with them, but becomes part of the estate. 'I'm actually going to extend that by a further two years to the 31st of December 2031.' David Foley, chief executive of IBCA, added: 'The community is at the heart of everything we do. We can only grow the service, and implement these new recommendations by listening to and acting on the views of the community. 'Some of the recommendations will take longer to implement, which we know may cause frustration and upset for some in the community. 'We will always act with transparency. That is why I can confirm that we will create a registration process, so that the community can tell us that they intend to make a claim. 'We will also develop the service for all groups, paying the first claims before the end of 2025. And we will improve transparency by sharing more of our processes, documents, data and plans on our website.' Incoming memorial committee chairman Mr Smith said: 'A memorial to the thousands who have died from the contaminated blood scandal is long overdue. 'It is a great privilege to be asked to lead this important work on behalf of the community. 'I look forward to working with the whole community across the UK on building an appropriate memorial to those we have lost and to act as a lasting memorial to the nation of what can happen when patient safety is not prioritised.' Today we've published our latest figures – these are accurate as of 15 July 2025. More than half of those who are living with infection and registered with a support scheme have now started their claim. Since April, we've halved average claim processing time from 60 to 30… — Infected Blood Compensation Authority (@IBCA_UK) July 17, 2025 More than 30,000 people in the UK were infected with HIV and hepatitis C after they were given contaminated blood and blood products between the 1970s and early 1990s. More than 3,000 people have died as a result, and survivors are living with lifelong health implications. The Infected Blood Inquiry published its main report on the scandal in May last year, and a compensation scheme was announced a day later. But in the same week a general election was called and officials from the IBCA have described how in the early days of the organisation it consisted of two men, a laptop and a phone. Some £11.8 billion has been allocated to compensate victims, administered by the IBCA. As of July 15, 587 people have had their compensation paid totalling more than £400 million.
Telegraph
an hour ago
- Telegraph
Nurse at centre of trans doctor row accused of racism after suspension lifted
A nurse who complained about a transgender doctor using a hospital's female changing room was accused of racism by senior NHS staff, an employment tribunal has heard. Charlotte Myles, a service manager at NHS Fife, said she had reviewed a decision to suspend Sandie Peggie over the row with Dr Beth Upton, who was born male but identifies as female. Ms Myles told a tribunal in Dundee that senior figures at Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy 'expressed unhappiness' at her decision to allow Ms Peggie to return to work. She said they claimed that the nurse was homophobic, had been 'racist towards a doctor' and that she supported Donald Trump's views on gender. She said Dr Kate Searle, who was Dr Upton's line manager, alleged there were 'patient safety issues' with allowing Ms Peggie to resume her nursing job. It was claimed that Ms Peggie had walked away from patients when Dr Upton arrived to treat them, including one who required resuscitation. But none of the allegations were reported at the time they were said to have occurred or were supported by documentation, she said. Ms Myles said they instead came from 'second, third-hand information' and the doctor who was the alleged subject of the racist comment did not recall it having been made. She said Ms Peggie 'wasn't happy' with the homophobia claims as 'I believe she has a daughter who is gay'. Nicole Peggie tweeted on Monday that her mother was 'my best friend'. Ms Myles said that the lack of evidence meant she did not consider the allegations when reaching her decision to end the nurse's suspension. She said claims that the nurse shared Mr Trump's views on gender were 'tittle tattle' and Ms Peggie was entitled to her private opinions if they did not harm patients. The Scottish Tories said: 'The scale of the witch hunt conducted against Sandie Peggie by her employers becomes ever more apparent and indefensible.' The row centres on an encounter between Ms Peggie and Dr Upton on Dec 24, 2023. The nurse experienced a sudden and heavy period and feared that it had bled through to her scrubs. Ms Peggie entered the female hospital changing room to find Dr Upton and challenged their presence. Within hours, a bullying complaint was lodged by Dr Upton and the nurse was suspended. In May 2024 Ms Peggie submitted a formal claim to an employment tribunal against NHS Fife and Dr Upton for sexual harassment, belief discrimination and victimisation. The nurse complained of being required to share a single-sex space with someone she believed to be male and being victimised for holding a gender-critical belief that biological sex is immutable. It emerged last week that Ms Peggie had been cleared of gross misconduct by an NHS Fife disciplinary hearing. However, the tribunal is scheduled to continue for another seven days, with Dr Searle giving evidence on Tuesday. After being asked to review the nurse's suspension on Feb 27 2024, Ms Myles said she concluded there was no risk to patients in Ms Peggie returning to work. But she said senior staff at the hospital 'weren't particularly happy with my decision' when she informed them. She name-checked Dr Searle and Dr Margaret Currer, who are both consultants in emergency medicine, and Esther Davidson and Louise Curran, two nurses who are Ms Peggie's line managers. After Dr Searle made the patient safety and racism allegations, Ms Myles said she challenged her whether they had been 'escalated and reported appropriately when these events happened'. Dr Searle said they had not and Ms Myles warned her that 'if these events had happened and there's been a failure to report' them, the doctor would be 'culpable' for any future incidents. Supporter of Donald Trump Ms Myles said Ms Davidson and Ms Curran had made similar allegations and she again asked them for the dates when the incidents occurred and whether they had been escalated. But she said they 'couldn't give me an accurate response' and it was 'all hearsay', leading her to take no action. Ms Peggie had received no previous complaints from patients or staff. Asked about Ms Curran's allegations, she said: 'Again, it was just very similar and, like you said, tittle tattle of being a supporter of Donald Trump and sharing his views on gender. 'But again, that's somebody's personal view. As long as it doesn't impact on patients and it doesn't impact on the workforce and actually doesn't cause harm to anybody within the board, then people are entitled to have their private views.' Ms Myles said Ms Peggie was alleged to have called a consultant a 'p---' but it 'took a while' for Ms Davidson to recall the identity of the alleged victim, who 'doesn't recall the comment'. The tribunal also heard that the nurse rejected a proposal to work at the Queen Margaret Hospital in Dunfermline so she and Dr Upton could avoid each other. Nicole Peggie, the nurse's daughter, responded to the homophobia allegations on X, saying: 'Jeez, do I need to go back under oath to clear this up? 'My mum is my best friend, has and always will be. Her only concern is if I'm happy.' Tess White, the Scottish Tories' shadow equalities minister, said: 'It's plain wrong that she was urged to work at a different hospital after pointing out that her right to access a single-sex space was being denied, while the lack of evidence for the racism allegation thrown at her suggests it was a crude smear.'
