New GP trip to find non -diagnosed infected blood scandal victims | UK News

All new patients who register at a family practice in England are asked whether they have a blood transfusion before 1996 – as part of a drive to find more people affected by the contaminated blood scandal.

Around 800,000 people register with a family doctor every year – and half of them are born before 1996 – which means that around 400,000 are asked whether they have received a historical blood transfusion.

Those who did this are offered a test for hepatitis C.

Were more than 30,000 people infected with potentially fatal viruses Between the 1970s and early 1990s, when she received contaminated blood transfusions or blood products during NHS care.

Around 3,000 people died in the episode and survivors with lifelong effects on health.

The Infected blood test People were “knowingly infected” because the authorities did not put patient safety in the first place.

After completing the public investigation in 2023, the government announced the creation of the infected Blood Dalvation Authority (IBCA), a length of the arm, administer payments to victims and their families.

The infected Blood damage authority said that by May 6, 677 people were asked to start their claim, and 106 payments were made more than 96 million GBP.

Some families have criticized the program say they were excluded.

At home test kits

There is now a drive to find non -diagnosed patients from the scandal.

If the patients are identified as someone who has received a blood transfusion, you can order a discrete, self-testing hepatitis-C kit at home.

Hepatitis C is a virus that infect the liver and remains untreated, sometimes too serious and potentially life -threatening liver damage over many years.

It does not have many noticeable symptoms until the liver is considerably damaged – which means that people can live with the infection without realizing it.

But as soon as it has been diagnosed, it can be treated with antivirals, says the NHS.

Read more from the infected blood scandal:
Who should be tested?
The victims feared that they would not survive for compensation
Factor 8: The school students who have lost everything

Only those who were born on or before December 31, 1995 are asked if they had a blood transfusion.

Patients are reminded of the likely reasons why they may have had one – including after an accident, surgery, at birth of birth or another medical treatment.