Today the Infected Blood Inquiry has published a supplementary report answering further questions asked of the psychosocial expert group.
The supplementary report examines a number of aspects of the psychosocial impact of infection with HIV, hepatitis C including:
- parents or carers making decisions about, or administering, blood products
- fear of infecting other family members, and the fear of being infected by a family member
- living with a predicted shorter lifespan
- dependence on welfare benefits
- awareness of deaths across the community of people infected
- campaigning over many years
- decisions about having children
- failure of treatment for infections
- notification of possible exposure to vCJD
- being subject to clinical trials, and
- effects on the wider family including subsequent generations.
At the end of expert hearings in February 2020, Inquiry Chair Sir Brian Langstaff asked the group for their views on how to minimise harm in the case of healthcare error, and how best to reduce the continuing stigma experienced by people infected with HIV and/or Hepatitis C in healthcare settings.
The Inquiry published its first expert report on psychosocial issues in February 2020.
Any questions about the work of the experts should be directed to the Inquiry through [email protected], or by calling 0808 169 1377.