Infected Blood Inquiry hearings resume

The Infected Blood Inquiry hearings will resume this week following a five-week break.

The Infected Blood Inquiry is examining how contaminated blood products were used by the NHS to treat patients in the 1970s and 1980s, leading to thousands of people being infected with HIV and/or Hepatitis C. It is the largest public inquiry investigation this country has ever held.

Since the beginning of this year, the Inquiry has heard evidence relating to blood services, including oral evidence from key clinicians and those in senior positions in blood services from across the UK. This covered key topics such as blood transfusion policy and practice, self-sufficiency, and the production of blood products at the Protein Fractionation Centre in Edinburgh and Blood Products Laboratory in Elstree.

The next stage of the Inquiry will hear evidence relating to government decision-making, transparency and cover-up, vCJD, and the Compensation Framework Study with oral evidence from Sir Robert Francis. A number of high-profile government witnesses will be called during this phase of evidence, including former Prime Minister Sir John Major and former Secretaries of State for Health Baroness Virginia Bottomley, Lord William Waldegrave and Andy Burnham.

The hearings will begin on Tuesday 10 May 2022 with Dr Andrzej Rejman, Senior Medical Officer in the Department of Health between 1989 and 1997. The full timetable for hearings can be found here.

Saunders Law currently represents a group of core participants in the Infected Blood Inquiry. In addition to the Infected Blood Inquiry, Saunders Law is instructed on the Undercover Policing Inquiry and the Grenfell Tower Inquiry. We offer expert legal assistance and representation in all public inquiry cases and we are well-known for our work and thorough approach to complex cases.

Please contact us on 0207 632 4300 or fill in our online enquiry form if you would like our assistance and we would be happy to discuss your matter with you.