Two of the last days' official hearings into the contaminated blood affair have elapsed, and the inquiry feels that the government, on the whole, is taking an intolerably long time in respect of compensations of the victims, with the activist constituency raising voices against their 'losing faith.'
Almost one year has gone by since the last inquiry report published in regard to what is by far the UK's worst treatment disaster of all time in NHS history.
In that instance, the victim support groups argued that the compensation from the government had been very slow and was too complicated to describe as straightforward. Sir Brian stated that "it was the gravity of the perceived issues that made [him] go on."
As the government was honored to be in such a position of inquiry, for the record, it expresses its full commitment.
According to the government, "the victims of this scandal have suffered unspeakably," but it is also acting upon the recommendations of the inquiry.
The last report by Sir Brian was in May, whereupon the very next day the Conservative government announced yet another compensation scheme.
This new scheme increases the number of people who will be eligible for maximum compensation and, unlike existing schemes, specifically targets the families of infected persons.
While the hearings were really taking a beating with evidence from witnesses and concerned lawyers, the groups before the inquiry protested that any incidents to the inquiry were just moving too slowly, dubbing the issue as just 'shambolic' and 'chaotic,' incidents that began to rear their heads even before the last general elections last June, lasting the test of time into the next phase of applications.
This decision, Sir Brian said, is a burden on our conscience. The decision was taken out of respect for the gravity of the issues repeatedly raised before the inquiry.
It is now the victims' groups that have been called to give evidence, both for those affected and the families of those infected by this tragedy.
In a statement, Kate Burt, Chief Executive, The Haemophilia Society, said, "This forceful and unprecedented action lays bare the overwhelming anger, frustration, and despair from the contaminated blood community with the government's failure to keep any of its promises."
"People are now beginning to lose faith that they will ever be given a fair settlement."