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Infected Blood Inquiry response, information and support

The full report and supporting information can be found on the Infected Blood Inquiry website.

Professor Phil Wood, Chief Executive at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said:

“Our thoughts are first and foremost with everyone affected by the actions that are described in this report. It is incredibly comprehensive and very challenging read. We apologise unreservedly to the patients, and their families, who received infected blood products at our hospitals.

“Since the time period covered by the report, much stricter processes are now in place for screening of blood donors, and there have been many advances in the treatment of bleeding disorders in recent years that have made treatments much safer.

We will of course work with NHS England, Department for Health and Social Care and all relevant organisations to implement what’s required. Nationally, the NHS has published a webpage for those who may be affected to find help and support.

“We appreciate that the report will cause concern for many patients who have been treated at the Trust, and they may have questions and require support. Our advice is to review the support available on this page, or contact our Patient Advice and Liaison Service on 0113 206 6261.”

Frequently Asked Questions

We appreciate that the report will cause concern and distress for many people, and patients who have been treated in Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust may have questions and require support.  

We have provided answers to frequently asked questions below and added links to resources for further information and support. 

For those people or their families who have received transfusion of red cells or blood components

If you are concerned that you may have received a transfusion of red cells or blood components in the past and you would like some advice on this, please refer to the NHS England and the NHS Blood and Transplant websites regarding the infected blood inquiry. If you require further advice following this, please contact your GP to review your health records. 

Donor selection criteria together with testing form the basis of blood safety. All blood donors are unpaid volunteers and the risk of an infected unit entering the UK blood supply continues to decrease. The current risk of an infectious donation entering the UK blood supply due to a recently acquired infection is now less than 1 in 1.2 million donations for hepatitis B, less than 1 in 7 million for HIV and less than 1 in 28 million for hepatitis C.  

There have been no reported and confirmed cases of hepatitis C since a 1997 transfusion and HIV from a transfusion in 2002, for any UK blood component. 

More information is available on the NHS Blood and Transplant website.  

Lookback investigations were carried out when previously untested donors were found to have hepatitis C or HIV infection. However, not all recipients of infected blood will have been identified as it was not always possible to trace all the recipients of potentially infectious donations. 

If you have received blood prior to 1996 and you have never been tested for hepatitis C you can arrange with your GP for a test to be carried out. 

As stated above, no Hepatitis C infections have been transmitted through transfusion since 1997 and no HIV infections since 2002. Patients transfused after these dates is extremely unlikely to have been infected through a transfusion. NHS England does not recommend testing of these patients, 

If you still have concerns, please contact your GP to discuss testing. 

LTHT was one of the first trusts in the country to implement a written consent to transfusion in 2006.

Therefore, if you have been transfused after that date you should have been informed. For patients that have been transfused when unconscious the Trust’s policy is to inform them retrospectively.

The Trust has patient information leaflets for consent prior to a transfusion and a separate for informing patients retrospectively that have been transfused.

Unfortunately for transfusions that have been given before 1994, the Trust does not have reliable records therefore can not provide this information.

For transfusions after 1994 the Trust can provide the information via the Freedom of Information framework. 

For those people or their families who have a diagnosed bleeding disorder and are registered at a haemophilia centre 

Further information is provided by NHS England on its website.  

If you are a patient with a bleeding disorder and have received coagulation factor products, blood, or blood components before 1996, you should ask your specialist bleeding disorder team for advice. Most people registered at UK Haemophilia centres treated in the 1970s and 80s and up until 1991, have already been offered testing for HIV and hepatitis. If you need an explanation about your tests or their results, your specialist doctor will be able to discuss this with you. If you have not been tested, your specialist doctor can explain the appropriate blood tests and arrange these for you. 

If you have not been tested, then please ask the team at your Haemophilia Centre for advice. Simple blood tests to diagnose or exclude HIV and hepatitis C are readily available. You can be given information and blood tests arranged by your doctor managing your bleeding disorder.  

There have been many advances in the treatment of bleeding disorders in recent years that have made treatments much safer. Whenever possible, ‘man-made’ products are now used that are not derived from blood and are very unlikely to transmit infections. Some disorders still require treatment with products derived from blood. The safety of these products has been significantly improved by introducing widespread screening of blood donors for viral infections and by the use of several proven methods of inactivating viruses during the manufacture of plasma derived products. Your doctor will be able to give you full information about your treatment. 

Your haemophilia multidisciplinary team can provide information and support for you and signpost you to other resources. The Leeds Comprehensive Care Haemophilia Centre has some access to a linked psychologist for adults with bleeding disorders and is working with NHS England to strengthen the availability of psychological support for the bleeding disorders community in West and North Yorkshire.  

For Leeds Teaching Hospitals and NW Yorkshire Haemophilia Network 

If you wish to speak to someone, you may call the Patient Advice and Liaison Service for LTHT on 0113 2066261.  

For those who are currently registered at the Leeds Comprehensive Care Haemophilia Centre and who are under active follow up in our service, support and advice can be provided by speaking to your specialist nurses or doctors at clinic or by contacting telephoning the access number on your bleeding disorder card. If you are no longer registered, please use the PALS advice line (details above). 

For patients registered at our partner centres in the NW Yorkshire Haemophilia Network please access advice as follows: 

Useful support and advice

NHS England: Support for people who may have been affected by infected blood.

The Haemophilia Society website has detailed information about the Infected Blood Inquiry and links to helpful resources for support.

NHS Blood and Transplant sets out how it has supported the Inquiry and has answers to common questions about the Infected Blood Inquiry.

The United Kingdom Haemophilia Centre Doctors’ Organisation (UKHCDO) is an association of medical practitioners who work within the Haemophilia Centres of England, Scotland, Northern Ireland or Wales and have an interest in the care of people with Haemophilia or other inherited bleeding disorders. They have shared comment and advice on their website.

The professional body The British Society for Haematology (BSH) has shared a comment on its website.

Financial Support

The England Infected Blood Support Scheme was set up to support people historically infected with hepatitis C and/or HIV from NHS blood or blood products. Help is also offered to families, civil or long-term partners after the death of someone infected. 

Psychological Support

The Red Cross provides a confidential support service to people infected and affected with Infected Blood by telephoning: 0800 458 9473 or 020 3417 0280.

The HBCDA (Haemophilia and Bleeding Disorders Counselling Association) charity offers online support and counselling specifically for people with bleeding disorders who have been infected through treatment for their bleeding disorder

National: National AIDS Trust and UK-CAB: HIV treatment advocate network

Local support: The BHA Leeds

Hepatitis C testing and support

Members of the public can directly order Hepatitis C self-testing kits via NHS England.

Hepatitis C is a virus that affects your liver. Lots of people have hepatitis C without knowing. Even if you do not know you have it, it can damage your liver and can sometimes lead to life-threatening conditions like liver cancer or liver failure. It can be cured by taking a course of tablets.

View further information and order a Kit

Support and information is available from the The Hepatitis C Trust.

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