GPs to ask new registration question that could entitle patients to thousands

GPs are now at the forefront of identifying potential victims of the infected blood scandal who may not realise they're ill and due compensation from the government. Starting from June 16, anyone signing up with a new GP and was born on or before December 31, 1995, will be questioned about any blood transfusions they had prior to 1996. If they did have a transfusion, they will be offered a hepatitis C test.

The testing process will be conducted using a discreet, self-administered kit that can be used at home, requiring just a finger-prick blood sample to be sent off to a laboratory for analysis. It will also be accessible at GP practices, sexual health clinics, and various other healthcare facilities. Hepatitis C is known to attack the liver and can cause severe, life-threatening damage over an extended period, but may not show noticeable symptoms.

NHS England highlighted: "It often does not have any noticeable symptoms until the liver has already been significantly damaged, meaning many people have the infection without realising it."

This new screening initiative and the accompanying test follow a recommendation made by Sir Brian Langstaff in the Infected Blood Inquiry report, which was released in May 2024.

The scandal in question involved over 30,000 individuals receiving blood products tainted with disease in the 1970s and 1980s, which led to thousands of patients contracting HIV and hepatitis C.

Professor Sir Stephen Powis, NHS National Medical Director, said: "The failures of the contaminated blood scandal have had a horrifying impact for patients and their families for decades, and I would like to reiterate our deepest apologies for the role the health service played in the suffering and loss for so many.

"The NHS is dedicated to implementing the inquiry's recommendations and this simple change to the GP registration process for patients is a vital step forward in ensuring that nobody affected by contaminated blood is living undiagnosed and unsupported.

"By routinely checking their risk when anyone signs up to a new GP and offering fast hepatitis C tests where necessary, we will ensure any undiagnosed cases can be found and treated as quickly as possible, while enabling thousands more to receive the reassurance of a negative test."

In October, Chancellor Rachel Reeves disclosed that the previous government had earmarked £11.8 billion for compensation to victims. The Conservative government proposed the following rates for individuals, according to the BBC:

• A person infected with HIV could anticipate between £2.2 million and £2.6 million
• A person infected with chronic hepatitis C could expect between £665,000 and £810,000
• The partner of someone living with HIV could receive £110,000
• The child of someone living with HIV could be awarded £55,000