The victims of the infected blood scandal have had to wait a very long time for there to be a public inquiry into what happened to them and the loved ones they lost, let alone for the report itself. The reason they wanted a public inquiry was that it would have the powers that other independent inquiries would not. They have also hoped it will lead to proper compensation, to conclusions that will stop another scandal with similar roots, and to a line being drawn under an injustice that has been ignored by the establishment, including the NHS, for too long. It is not yet clear if any of those things will happen, though.
Perhaps the compensation bill will force change, but fixing the NHS and the civil service will take years, and many governments
The report’s findings are devastating, and the way Sir Brian Langstaff delivered them made clear that he felt those responsible had treated the victims appallingly.
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