Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Paymaster General during topical questions to the Cabinet Office on 18 January 2024, Official Report, column 1016, whether he will publish details of the psychological support in place for victims of infected blood.

The current England Infected Blood Support Scheme, which makes payments to infected blood victims in England, also provides a grant of up to £900 a year for beneficiaries and family members for counselling and National Institute for Health and Care Excellence-approved talking therapies. This offer was expanded in August 2022 to enable beneficiaries to access funding for ongoing and longer-term treatment. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/talking-therapy-support

A bespoke psychological support service for infected blood victims, commissioned by NHS England, is currently being developed, and planned to go live in early summer 2024.