Bill Wright, a long-time campaigner for victims of the infected blood scandal, received an OBE in the New Year Honours. Wright hopes the recognition will emphasize that the fight for justice is not over, as many recommendations from the public inquiry remain unfulfilled.
A campaigner who has received an OBE in the New Year Honours for his work on the infected blood scandal has said he hopes it highlights 'this story is not over'. Bill Wright served as the chairman of Haemophilia Scotland for 12 years until stepping down in August, and was described as the 'driving force' behind its representation at the Infected Blood Inquiry and the prior Penrose Inquiry in Scotland.
Bill, 66, who was diagnosed with Hepatitis C in 1986 after receiving a contaminated blood product, received the honour for services to people with bleeding disorders, and to the inquiry. More than 30,000 people in the UK were infected with deadly viruses after being given contaminated blood and blood products between the 1970s and early 1990s, in what was the worst treatment disaster in the history of the NHS. Some 3,000 people died as a result, with survivors left with lifelong health implications. Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced £11.8 billion in compensation for the victims of the scandal in her October Budget, and payouts began earlier in December. Bill, from Dunkeld in Perth and Kinross, worked for environmental and outdoor activity charities before retiring aged 49 due to health issues. He said of his honour: 'The main thing I'm particularly pleased about is the recognition for the issues that I've been involved in, which was the infected blood disaster which in particular seriously affected the community of people with bleeding disorders. 'That story continues and I think it's really important to emphasise that this story is not over. The recommendations of the public inquiry into infected blood are yet to be really met and that includes for example compensation to thousands of individuals, and that is taking a lot of time. 'In a sense I feel that my own award or recognition does mean there has been both public and government recognition of the issues it raise
INFECTED BLOOD SCANDAL OBE CAMPAIGNER HEMOPHILIA COMPENSATION
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