Read a summary of this week’s inquiry evidence

Written by Jessica Bomford, February 25, 2022

This week the Infected Blood Inquiry has looked at guidelines for improving the safety of blood transfusions with a focus on transfusions arising from childbirth.

There were three days of evidence this week, including two presentations. The first looked at the experiences of those infected as a result of blood transfusion and the second looked at clinical guidance on blood transfusion.

Two clinicians gave evidence about the circumstances in which a blood transfusion would be given to women after childbirth, starting with Professor Philip Steer, pictured, who was emeritus professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at the Imperial College Faculty of Medicine at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London. His evidence was followed by Dr David Bogod, a consultant anaesthetist with a special interest in obstetrics who worked at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust. 

The final day of evidence heard testimony from two experts in blood transfusion practice, consultant haematologist Dr Jonathan Wallis, who worked at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle from 1990 to 2019, and consultant haematologist Professor Michael Murphy, who was clinical director (patients) for NHSBT from 2004, where he remained until his retirement in 2021.

Click here for a summary of this week’s evidence.

Transcripts of inquiry evidence are available here. A weekly summary of previous hearings can be found here.

Follow the inquiry through the Haemophilia Society’s dedicated Twitter account or join our Facebook page for daily updates on evidence when the inquiry is sitting.