Watch: Infected blood campaigners react to final report into scandal

Watch as infected blood scandal campaigners reacted to an inquiry’s findings that politicians, doctors, and civil servants were involved in a chilling cover-up of the worst treatment disaster in the history of the NHS.

More than 30,000 people were infected with deadly viruses while they were receiving NHS care between the 1970s and 1990s

A damning landmark public inquiry concluded that the scandal “could largely have been avoided” and there was a “pervasive” cover-up to hide the truth.

Inquiry chairman Sir Brian Langstaff described the disaster as a “calamity”.

More than 3,000 people died as a result of the scandal and survivors were left battling for decades to uncover the truth.

The inquiry found deliberate attempts were made to conceal the disaster, including evidence of Whitehall officials destroying documents, and patients were knowingly exposed to unacceptable risks of infection.

Sir Brian said repeated claims from successive governments that patients received the best medical treatment at the time, and that blood screening had been introduced at the earliest opportunity were “untrue”.