Professor Anne-Maree Farrell co-authors report for the UK Infected Blood Inquiry

An expert report co-authored by Edinburgh Law School’s Professor Anne-Maree Farrell  has been published this week by the UK Infected Blood Inquiry. The report outlines the principles of public administration and public health, record keeping in the NHS, and the systems used for making decisions on health policy across the UK. It also makes suggestions for how these systems could be improved. In addition, the report explores the importance of the patient voice, appropriate communication of risk and the duty of candour. The full report can be read here.

Dr Annie Sorbie provided input into the report arising from her expertise on duty of candour in healthcare settings, and the regulation of health and social care professionals. Additional research support was provided by Ms Destiny Noble, who is a graduate of Edinburgh Law School’s LLM in Medical Law and Ethics.

The Infected Blood Inquiry was established by the UK government as an independent public statutory inquiry charged with examining the circumstances that led to individuals being given contaminated blood and blood products in the UK, in particular HIV and Hepatitis. In addition, the Inquiry is examining the impact on their families; how the authorities (including government) responded; the nature of any support provided following infection; questions of consent; and whether there were any cover-ups in relation to the circumstances that led to the blood contamination episodes. The Inquiry began its work in 2019 and it is ongoing.