Infected blood inquiry: Family 'finally have the truth'

More than 30,000 people were infected with deadly viruses while they were receiving NHS care between the 1970s and 1990s. 

Ted Burkert, a single dad-of-five who lived in Bradford, was one of the victims of the disaster. He tragically died aged just 54 in 1992 after suffering a brain bleed.

Today, Infected Blood Inquiry chair Sir Brian Langstaff described the scandal as a "calamity" - as his probe into what has been called the biggest treatment disaster in NHS history ended.

Sir Brian said "the scale of what happened is horrifying", with more than 3,000 people losing their lives and survivors battling for decades to uncover the truth.

The infected blood scandal "could largely have been avoided" and there was a "pervasive" cover-up to hide the truth, with evidence of "deliberate destruction" of relevant documents, Sir Brian found.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak issued a "wholehearted and unequivocal" apology to all those affected.

'A huge, important day'

Many contaminated blood victims - including Mr Burkert - had haemophilia, a blood-clotting disorder, and relied on regular injections of the Factor VIII treatment, which was made from pooling human blood plasma.

Britain was running low on supplies of Factor VIII so imported products from the US, where prison inmates and other high-risk donors were paid cash for giving blood.

Mr Burkert was infected with HIV and Hepatitis C through Factor VIII treatment. 

He never told his family he had been infected with HIV in a bid to to protect them, with his children only discovering his status as he was dying in hospital.

Eileen Burkert (above centre) believes justice has been delivered today (Image: Submitted)

Reacting to today's final report, his daughter Eileen Burkert, originally from Queensbury, said: "We've finally got the truth now after an incredibly difficult time.

"I've been wearing a t-shirt saying 'today's for you, dad' - and it is.

"This is such a huge, important day for us all.

"I'm proud today.

"What happened to my dad and everyone else totally breaks me.

"Now, I feel justice has been served for all those affected by this awful scandal. 

"All the many failings have been laid bare for all to see."

'My dad will always be loved and missed'

Sir Brian said in a statement: "In families across the UK, people were treated by the NHS and over 30,000 were given infections which were life-shattering. Three thousand people have already died and that number is climbing week by week. Lives, dreams, friendships, families, finances were destroyed.

"This disaster was not an accident. The infections happened because those in authority - doctors, the blood services and successive governments - did not put patient safety first. The response of those in authority served to compound people's suffering."

Sir Brian's report highlighted how "the truth has been hidden for decades", with evidence of a "deliberate" decision to destroy Department of Health files in 1993.

Issuing an apology today, Prime Minister Mr Sunak said it was "a day of shame for the British state" after the Infected Blood Inquiry identified a "catalogue of systemic, collective and individual failures".

He promised to pay "comprehensive compensation" to those affected and infected.

Around £10billion has been earmarked for a compensation package for those affected, which is set to be announced tomorrow.

Sir Brian made a series of recommendations including on compensation, recognising those affected, how lessons can be learned, and strengthening duty of candour regulations.

Mr Sunak said ministers would study the probe's recommendations "in detail" before returning to the Commons with a full response.

Miss Burkert said: "I now want to see real action so something like this can never happen again, and I also want to see everyone impacted being properly compensated.

"I don't want any more empty words."

Paying tribute to her father, Miss Burkert said: "Our dad was everything to us.

"He was a good man and he was my best friend.

"He shouldn't have died at 54 - he had so much more life to live.

"But I feel like he was here with us today - and I think he's proud.

"He'll always be loved and missed."