Infected blood victims given increased payouts
Hundreds of people given infected NHS blood in Scotland have now received extra financial support.
A total of 11 people infected with both HIV and hepatitis C via contaminated blood have been paid a £50,000 lump sum, while 330 have been given one-off top-up payments of £30,000.
Annual payments to a further 138 people have risen to either £27,000 or £37,000, depending on the stage of their illness.
Around 3,000 Scots are thought to have contracted either hepatitis C or HIV, or both, through NHS blood products between the 1970s and the early 90s in a UK-wide contaminated blood scandal linked to US donations where donors were paid.
The payouts to victims come after the Scottish Government pledged earlier this year that those infected would receive increased lump sums and annual payments.
A new scheme for infected blood support in Scotland, which includes new annual payments for widows and widowers whose husband or wife died as a result of their hepatitis C or HIV infection, is expected to start in April.
Health Secretary Shona Robison told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme the blood scandal was a ''tragedy''.
She said: ''What we felt was important though, when I heard from people affected that they were struggling to make ends meet, to pay their bills, that they couldn't keep their house warm, I knew we had to do something.''
She said the payments were set up via a financial review group which included people infected and is aimed at ensuring those who are most ill receive the most help.
She added: ''The Scottish Government has worked hard to deliver increased payments for those infected in Scotland through the existing UK schemes this year, despite delays in getting the new arrangements agreed with the UK Government and the existing schemes. The changes that were needed were finally processed by the Department of Health and the schemes and I'm pleased to hear that hundreds of people have now received those higher payments. We know that this money can be a lifeline to families across Scotland. I'm also pleased that the new Scottish payment system is on course to be delivered next spring. The needs of patients and their families will be very much at its heart.''