FOLLOWING your story on delays to the infected blood compensation package in the rest of the UK (“Row as payouts to victims of blood scandal delayed”, The Herald, July 21), I wish to reiterate what is happening in Scotland.
Following the Penrose Inquiry we immediately established a Scottish review group, made up of affected patients and families, to review the current UK-wide financial support schemes that are available. This group, chaired by Ian Welsh of the Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland, has already started work, and will report to ministers by November. The review will conclude before World Haemophilia Day, 17 April 2016.
The Scottish Government has already contributed around £30 million over the last 10years to financial support schemes for the people affected by this terrible tragedy. However, like Lord Penrose I acknowledge that some people feel the existing levels of payment are insufficient. That is why we must move quickly to review these schemes.
Shona Robison,
Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Sport.
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