Donald Dewar feared paying compensation to people infected by contaminated blood would result in an “open cheque book”. Scotland’s inaugural First Minister was worried a huge amount of claimants would result in serious financial issues.
The UK Infected Blood Inquiry was told his concerns appeared in an email sent in September 1999. Around 3,000 people in Scotland contracted Hepatitis C and HIV in the 1970s and 1980s through blood products used to treat conditions like haemophilia.
Those who survived did not get financial support until 2004. An inquiry into the scandal was set up in 2017 to examine what has been dubbed the worst treatment disaster in NHS history.
Those who survived were left with lifelong health issues. They have provided evidence to the probe chaired by former QC Sir Brian Langstaff.
The Haemophilia Society believes infections could have been prevented and that the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service was negligent in not using safer blood products between 1985 and 1987. Dewar faced demands to provide compensation to victims.
The inquiry yesterday heard ministers did not want to pay survivors as the NHS had not been found negligent or at fault.
The email sent on behalf of Dewar on September 23, 1999, said he was “a little concerned about the possible financial implications and fears that an open mind could be taken to mean an open cheque book”.
A note added that the-then health minister Susan Deacon’s office “advises that this is very much a PR exercise and there is unlikely to be any compensation paid”.
Deacon is due to give evidence to the inquiry on Friday.
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here.
