§ Mr. HavardTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how much NHS money has been paid out in each of the last five years to people as a result of(a) clinical errors from blood transfusions and (b) infection from contaminated blood and blood product.[103981]
§ Ms BlearsInformation is not collected separately on compensation for clinical errors from blood transfusions and infection from contaminated blood and blood products arising in National Health Service hospitals. However, the NHS Summarised Accounts in England specify that the gross figure for all claims for clinical negligence in 2001–02 was £446 million.
The National Blood Authority (NBA) has settled seven claims in the past five years, which involve either clinical errors from blood transfusions or infection from contaminated blood or blood products. The table shows the total payments made by the NBA in respect of these claims including the legal costs of both sides.
Year Clinical errors from blood transfusions Infection from contaminated blood and blood products 1998–99 7,131 0 1999–2000 0 0 2000–01 0 99,188 2001–02 29,320 485,739 2002–03 0 1,098,147 Total 36,451 1,683,074 In addition, the NBA has made payments of:
257W
Year £ 2001–02 5,114,035 2002–03 6,105,277 following Mr. Justice Burton's judgment of 26 March 2001 under the Consumer Protection Act 1987 in respect of patients infected with hepatitis C through blood transfusions between March 1988 and September 1991.