Members’ views

mail@sibf.org.uk

“I would like to tender our sincere appreciation of the sterling body of work submitted by yourselves and the SIBF Board, regarding your recommendations for an improved & fair and final financial settlement for all Scottish state-infected HCV victims.

Specifically, the Press Release, Note of Dissent, Detailed Commentary to the Financial Group’s Proposals and the Scoping Report Summary.

It seems that a relatively small victim group like ourselves has only a small voice when arguing with the Scottish Government for fairness and inclusivity with regard to our avoidable multiple losses and disadvantages inflicted via HCV infection, however I was very impressed by the thoroughness of your and the Board’s approach, and the very comprehensive submissions that you put forward.

My wife and I also recognise the exhaustive unpaid time and selfless dedication that has gone into your and the Board’s SIBF work, and we agree with all of your points wholeheartedly.

The only disappointment we have, is that other Scottish HCV-support groups have not taken a more strong and supportive line in standing up for us all, in our fight for fair and equitable treatment for all HCV victims.

We also hope that your crucial and very valuable work is noted and recognised as the only sensible way forward by other HCV victim-support groups, and we sincerely hope that state-infected victims and those affected out with the Scottish borders can also benefit from your efforts, in their own fights for justice.

I would also add that I was horrified to hear your story at the recorded Holyrood Health Committee’s presentation about Penrose’s disgraceful comments (the ‘feather duster’ nonsense).

I think that if he was forced to live for even one day with the terrible effects of HCV and the legacy of the awful interferon-ribavirin treatment, then his story, opinions, and findings would have been far different.

With disgraceful statements like that, (made by a Lord, no less) it is no wonder that the whole ridiculously expensive report was a white-wash, and the ‘Maxwellisation’ cover-up was yet another total disgrace.

I can only hope that the MSP’s took note of his embarrassingly shameful behaviour.

On another note, I was in touch with Victoria Prouse (Director of Operations) of Caxton last week, and she said that she has no idea when any payments or money transfers to victims will be made, at all. She suggested that I write to Holyrood myself. With this in mind, I enclose a letter that I sent to Mark Taylor of Scottish SG news Government website (no reply as yet).

I have also written similarly to Skipton about possible payment timeframes, but have not had any reply yet either.

It seems unfortunately, that very little if anything, is in the immediate pipeline, and I just hope they are not dissolving all the financial support ‘pseudo charity’ NGO’s before setting anything new up, but we shall see.

I also remember when I inquired a year ago, that Caxton, (as an example of only one support NGO) cannot take budget surpluses or underspends over to the next year, from the previous financial year.

So maybe they are trying to save the UK exchequer money by delaying action and/or putting a hold on making any payments for the foreseeable future.

Very best regards, and our thanks to you all.

Richard & Elena Brown, Nedialsk (Bulgaria)”