Infected blood: Sister of victims welcomes compensation

Infected blood donations in the 1970s and 80s were pooled and used in treatments

The sister of two Welsh victims of the infected blood scandal has said a compensation announcement is "a step in the right direction".

Bev Tumelty lost her brothers after they were infected by HIV and hepatitis C through contaminated blood products.

She called the payment good news, but said a lot of groups will be excluded.

About 4,000 UK victims will receive interim compensation of £100,000. But Haemophilia Wales said it was fighting for recognition for all affected.

Ms Tumelty's brother Haydn Lewis, from Cardiff, died in 2010 after developing liver cancer, and his brother Gareth, died later that year.

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She hopes her sister-in-law, Haydn's widow, will get the payment.

"I'm part of the excluded group, but the announcement is fantastic to those who will receive it."

She said: "This is a step in the right direction and I'm pleased for those who will receive the compensation.

"It's fantastic news, because it affects so many, but there are lots of groups who are excluded, particularly those parents who have lost children."

Bev Tumelty lost both her brothers in the space of seven months

She said as an affected party who lost two brothers it was immaterial, and no monetary value could be put on that.

"For us, it was about fighting for the work they campaigned for before their deaths in 2010, and I'm still fighting for the infected and affected - this has been going on for 40 years."

Decades of campaigning

The payments will be made by the end of October in England. Those living in the rest of the UK will also receive the money.

It is the first time compensation will be paid after decades of campaigning.

It will be given to those whose health is failing after developing blood-borne viruses like hepatitis and HIV, as well as partners of people who have died.

Haemophilia Wales said it was welcome news because so many people will not see the end of the inquiry and it was important that they have recognition.

Its chair, Lynne Kelly, said: "Only the living infected and bereaved partners are included in this compensation, and we're fighting for recognition for all those affected, and hope that the inquiry when it reports in 2023 will give suitable recognition to all those people.

Lynne Kelly of Haemophilia Wales says two members of the group are in the last stages of life

She added that it had been 40 years in coming and the UK government had been forced to do this by the inquiry.

"The government decided at the beginning of the inquiry not to include those who lost children, their sibling survivors don't get anything either - it's very unfair.

"This is only an interim payment and I hope it will be more in the longer term, and more inclusive of those who have been affected."