Tag: contaminated blood

News, Politics

Tributes for Wythenshawe health justice campaigner Pete Mossman

Tributes have been paid to Peter Mossman who campaigned tirelessly to get justice for victims of a NHS treatment disaster which led to the deaths of thousands of people.

Mr Mossman, from Baguley, Wythenshawe was one of about 7,500 patients, who had been given blood transfusions infected with contaminated blood products. He died last month, aged 78.

The scandal, in which victims contracted hepatitis and HIV as a result of the contamination, was described as the worst treatment disaster in the history of the NHS. A public inquiry into the scandal was set up by the government.

Mr Mossman was treated with contaminated blood and infected with hepatitis C in 1985 after discovering bruising on his leg. Immediately afterwards he became desperately ill  and later suffered worsening bleeds and severe liver damage. 

Continue reading “Tributes for Wythenshawe health justice campaigner Pete Mossman” →
Crime, News, Politics

Contaminated blood inquiry: “People should go to jail” says Wythenshawe victim

16701439376_6112956332_qA public inquiry into contaminated blood leading to the deaths of thousands of people has been welcomed by a Wythenshawe victim who has called for perpetrators to be jailed over the scandal.

A recent parliamentary report found that  about 7,500 patients, who had been given blood transfusions were infected by imported blood products contaminated with plasma from donors including prison inmates in the US, who sold their blood.

More than 2,400 people have died from Hepatitis and HIV caused by the blood contamination.

As previously reported by the Wythenshawe Reporter, two of the victims are Fred Bates and Peter Mossman, both from Wythenshawe.

And  the government has announced a public inquiry will be launched to get to the bottom of the cause of the scandal more than 30 years ago, described as the worst treatment disaster in the history of the NHS. Continue reading “Contaminated blood inquiry: “People should go to jail” says Wythenshawe victim” →

Crime, News, Politics

Contaminated blood scandal: Fight for justice set to continue

The fight for justice for haemophiliacs, whose lives were shattered after being treated with contaminated blood, is set to carry on after a government financial package announced today was branded “disgusting”  by a Wythenshawe campaigner. 

Health Secretary, Andrew Lansley, apologised in a statement to MPs today for what has been described as the worst treatment disaster in NHS history, in which 4,670 haemophiliacs in the UK were unwittingly given blood contaminated with hepatitis C. The blood came from US sources, including drug users and prison inmates. 

Among the victims were Fred Bates and Peter Mossman, from Wythenshawe, who have suffered years of ill health and financial hardship. Peter describes the scandal as “medical rape”. 

In October last year, the government promised a review of  the financial package for victims after rejecting calls to dramatically increase payments in line with the recommendations of an independent inquiry by Lord Archer of Sandwell into the scandal. 

The review announced today includes an annual payment of £12,800 and an increase of £25,000 to a £50,000 lump sum for hepatitis sufferers who have reached the advanced stages of liver disease. 

But for Peter aged 67 who does not yet qualify for the payments and Fred, 61, does qualify but the new scheme falls far short of the package they had hoped for. 

Peter told the Reporter: “As far as I can see the fight has to go on because it is very disappointing. Most people I’ve spoken to about it are disgusted. To get these payments you have to be at the advanced stages, which means most people at the present time will get nothing.”

 Peter, who founded the Manor House Group, which was praised by shadow public health minister, Diane Abbott, said he will be consulting other leading campaigners to discuss the way forward. 

Fred’s wife Eleanor said: “The apology means a lot. A least someone has finally stood up and apologised for what has happened, but it is not enough. Fred is too tired to carry on fighting and we will use the money to do some of things we should have been doing for the last ten years. 

“But it will never bring closure. How can it bring closure to some-one who has watched her husband suffer and wonder every day whether this could be the day when starts to rapidly go downhill and then watch him go through what we have watched his friends go through or whether it could be his last day, because of something that was done 25 years ago.” 

Peter Mossman was treated with contaminated blood and infected with hepatitis C in 1985 after discovering bruising on his leg. Immediately afterwards he became desperately ill  and later suffered worsening bleeds and severe liver damage. 

Fred Bates was only told about his infection after reading a leaflet in 1993. He was told “to go home, and that there was nothing to worry about.” 

Fred and Peter have said they  would never have consented to treatment with contaminated blood products which carried a high risk of infection with HIV and hepatitis C. However, for Peter and Fred, it is not only the doctors who failed to explain the dangers – the whole health system was caught up in what amounts to a conspiracy of silence.