Penrose Inquiry Publishes Final Report

The Penrose Inquiry, which was announced by the Scottish Government in 2008, has now published its final report.

Lord Penrose chaired the inquiry, which looked in detail at how patients were infected with hepatitis C and HIV/AIDS through blood transfusions and other procedures carried out at NHS hospitals from 1974 onwards.

Following the publication of the report, Health Secretary Shona Robison has apologised on behalf of the NHS and Government in Scotland to all patients and families affected by infected NHS blood and blood products in Scotland during the 1970s and 1980s.

Ms Robison accepted the report’s recommendation – that steps should be taken to offer blood tests to anyone in Scotland who had a blood transfusion before 1991 and who has not already been tested for hepatitis C.

She also confirmed that the Scottish Government will carry out the following measures:

• An immediate commitment to review and improve the financial support schemes on offer to the people affected, and their families, to be concluded before World Haemophilia Day in April 2016. The Scottish Government will work with the rest of the UK nations in undertaking this review.
• A reference group of patients and families set up to contribute to that review.
• Funding for a pilot scheme for additional psychological support for those affected, rolled out wider if needed.
• Continued Scottish Government funding for Haemophilia Scotland and Scottish Infected Blood Forum for at least the next three years.

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