Infected blood payout for Treloar’s victims 'insulting'

Marc Payton was one of dozens of haemophiliacs who died after being given treatment with contaminated blood products whilst attending the college in Hampshire in the 1970s.

His sister Janine Jones, who lives in Catshill, said her brother was diagnosed with HIV in 1985 when he was 23 and told he had hepatitis C in 1990.

She said Mr Payton faced health issues and depression before he died in 2003 aged 41.

Marc Payton (Image: Family handout)

Victims of the contaminated blood scandal, which is widely seen as the biggest treatment disaster in NHS history, are set to receive up to £2.7 million each with a £10,000 “unethical research” fee in addition.

For those infected at Lord Mayor’s Treloar’s College, where children undergoing treatment for haemophilia were used experimented on without their knowledge by NHS clinicians who knew the dangers it posed, a higher award of £15,000 has been offered.

Claims for those who have already died – of which there are more than 3,000 – because of the disaster can be made through their estate.

Reacting to the offer, Janine Jones, aged 59, said: "Personally, I think that's insulting. For the amount of damage that was inflicted on them in school as children, £15,000 isn't a lot of money.

"I know for a fact he (Marc) would have found that insulting".

Marc Payton (Image: Family handout)

She added that she is pleased that a compensation scheme has been announced, but hopes victims are compensated as soon as possible".

She added: "I'm pleased that we have got this far, that the compensation scheme is going to be set up and running.

"They will have to pay but it's a case of when? 

"The registration for estates will open in October and that's just for the interim payment".

"We want them to pay compensation as soon as possible".