Infected blood scandal: ‘My husband died five weeks ago – compensation scheme is too late’

Perry Evans was one of the first victims to give evidence to the Infected Blood Inquiry. He died just five weeks ago and never saw the damning report into the scandal that was published on Monday.

His wife, Heather Evans, sat next to a picture of Perry as she listened to Sir Brian Langstaff read the key points from his 2,575 pages of findings, external.

She said it was “overwhelming” to see the culmination of years of campaigning without Perry. “My feeling at the start of the day was just so gutted that Perry was missing it,” she told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

The government is due to announce a “comprehensive” compensation scheme for victims on Tuesday.

A public inquiry found authorities had exposed victims to unacceptable risks and covered up the NHS’s biggest treatment disaster.

Some 30,000 people were infected and Perry is one of around 3,000 who have died so far.

Sir Brian shared Perry’s story as he delivered his findings on Monday. An audible gasp rippled through the audience when he told them Perry had died – and so recently.

“That sigh went across the room,” said Heather. Because of the “love and solidarity” between infected blood campaigners.

Heather said she and other campaigners feel “grateful” the report has been published. But she is hesitant to say the battle is over.

“I still don’t trust that anything will happen,” she said as she waited for the government to announce the compensation scheme. “Why was this not announced a year ago?”

She is not the only one asking this question.

While some campaigners have praised the prime minister for his apology, others have criticised the government for waiting for the full report before setting up a full compensation scheme.

Heather says the government has learned nothing in the full report it did not already know a year ago. “And in that year, so many people have died. Including Perry.”