'Four' deaths linked to blood scandal

Tuesday 18 June 2024

Up to four islanders died as a result of receiving infected blood in transfusions during the 1970s and 80s, HSC has confirmed.

Health and Social Care has also said that up to nine people are receiving, or have received support from Public Health in Guernsey because of their infection at the hands of the NHS.

The affected people in Guernsey all received contaminated blood at UK hospitals between 1970 and the early 1990s, in a scandal which has affected more than 30,000 victims in total.

The patients were receiving care for haemophilia or other haematological disorders, or were recovering from childbirth, surgery, or other medical treatments at the time of their transfusions with the blood later found to have been contaminated with hepatitis or HIV.

More than 3,000 people have died as a result while thousands more continue to live with on-going related health conditions. 

Pictured: For more information about the scandal and the ongoing inquiry click HERE.

The number of people affected locally, and the number of local deaths, has been confirmed after Deputy Lester Queripel pursued HSC for answers.

He used the Rule 14 method - written questions which need a written response within 14 days - after previously posing an oral question to the HSC President during the May States meeting. 

At that time, Deputy Al Brouard said that he believed 5 to 10 people locally were affected by the infected blood scandal, and are being supported by Public Health. 

Deputy Brouard also confirmed that HSC has liaised with Policy and Resources who are working with the UK Government on how they will be supported through the compensation scheme that was announced last month.

The development of that compensation scheme has been expedited following a backbench amendment to speed things up, which led to Royal Assent being granted on 24 May - just two days after Deputy Brouard was questioned in the States. However, any further progress will be delayed until after the UK’s General Election on 4 July

HSC has now said that "Officers will continue to engage with UK Government officials regarding the establishment of the compensation scheme and how it might extend to Bailiwick residents".

Pictured (l-r): Deputies Lester Queripel and Al Broaurd.

On behalf of Public Health, HSC has also confirmed to Deputy Queripel that the people affected - who contracted Hepatitis C and/or HIV from these treatments and who are known to HSC - have received "specialist care and treatment from a Consultant Virologist. This has included on-island treatment and support through the Consultant Virologist and the Orchard Centre, with links to off-island providers at a national centre of excellence for advice and support".

HSC says anyone else who is concerned they may also have been infected can be screened for free at the Orchard Centre. Further, help and support to those who may be eligible to claim compensation is being provided.

Local statistics

Deputy Queripel asked how many islanders, who were victims of the infected blood scandal, are now receiving, or have received, support from Public Health and how many have died as a result of receiving infected blood.

HSC said that it is "aware of fewer than ten individuals" and "fewer than five individuals" respectively. 

In other situations in the past, HSC and other States bodies have refused to disclose exact numbers in response to questions where the answer is so low that it could identify the people involved, meaning that in this case the number of deaths may be as low as one.