Families who lost loved ones to the infected blood scandal say a new TV drama must not exclude the suffering of Scots victims. Bad Blood, a four-part series commissioned by ITV following the impact of Mr Bates vs The Post Office, has begun filming with Scots actor Iain Glen in a starring role.
The drama promises to tell the story of the biggest treatment disaster in NHS history, when more than 30,000 people, including an estimated 3,000 Scots, were given contaminated blood and blood products between the 1970s and the early 1990s, leading to thousands of deaths and chronic illness.
Scots families raise concerns
Justine Gordon-Smith, whose late father Peter died after being given blood infected with hepatitis C, said: “The whole point of the infected blood scandal was that anybody at any time could go into the NHS for routine medical care and come out injured for life.” She added: “The Treloar’s case is an absolute scandal and I understand the focus on it but it’s a drama which is going to be broadcast across the UK and it’s a scandal that affects the whole of the UK.”
She said she fears the drama will “cement many of the misrepresentations about the scandal, primarily that it’s all the fault of American imports, exclude the experience of Scots and whilst lots of hot air will be vented in parliament, nothing much will change.” She noted that “lots of the community are writing to (producers) about these issues.”
Focus on Treloar's and haemophiliacs
Bad Blood focuses on Lord Mayor Treloar’s College, a boarding school in Hampshire for children with disabilities, which had a specialist NHS haemophilia centre. At least 72 pupils died after being infected with HIV and viral hepatitis when treated with infected blood products. While many haemophilia patients were infected via imported clotting factors, many other patients across the UK contracted Hepatitis C or HIV from routine whole blood transfusions.
Many of those infected in Scotland had received transfusions on the NHS. The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service was criticised for not adequately screening donors. Scotland was first in the UK to commission a probe into the disaster, but the six-year Penrose Inquiry, costing £12 million, was branded a “whitewash”.
Compensation and ongoing fight
A 2024 UK probe by Sir Brian Langstaff found the disaster could largely have been avoided and was inflamed by a “chilling” NHS and government cover-up. The Infected Blood Compensation Scheme was rolled out that year, pledging to pay out £11.8 billion, but an extra inquiry report found victims had been “harmed further” during the process.
Peter Gordon-Smith grew up in Aberlour, Fife, and was manager of the Cell Club in Glasgow and Club Eleven, where the Beatles played in the early 60s. He was told he had hepatitis C in 1994 after undergoing “crippling” clinical trials using high purity blood products. In 2016, he was told he had cancer and went through “excruciating” treatment due to severe liver disease. He made several attempts to take his life before his death aged 78 in 2018.
Justine, who has made her own short film about her family’s experience called Dear Mr Burnham, is fighting for a better compensation scheme. She doubts whether Bad Blood can follow the success of Mr Bates vs The Post Office, saying: “The infected blood scandal has reached popular consciousness but only in a limited way. The public consciousness or understanding is based on what is often misrepresentation. I think this drama will perpetrate the myths, even if it does raise awareness.”
Alison Britton’s father, John Anderson, died in 2011, aged 72, after being infected with hepatitis C from a blood transfusion. She is still fighting for justice and proper compensation over the death of the former Merchant Navy seaman and engineer from East Kilbride. Alison said she was “delighted” the drama, set to air next year, is focusing on the scandal but had contacted producers to ask it reflects the experience of all victims. She said: “What happened to the boys at Treloar School was absolutely appalling and unforgivable. I did email the production team to ask that they didn’t forget the other victims too. I’m hoping they also bear in mind all the other innocent victims who were infected as a result of contaminated blood. I hope it makes the wider public aware of what took place over 40 years ago and the lies and cover ups that followed.”
Producers respond
World Productions has been commissioned to make the drama, written by BAFTA award-winning screenwriter Peter Moffat. Producers responded to a letter in recent days raising concerns that “whole blood” victims would be “excluded” from the narrative and “left in the shadows”.
An ITV spokeswoman told the Record: “Our aim with Bad Blood is to bring the story of the scandal to light in a way that is relatable to all victims and their families across the UK. While the drama focuses on Treloar’s and haemophiliacs, their stories serve as a starting point to raise awareness and shine a light on all those affected, wherever they live and however they came to be infected. We hope the drama leads to greater public understanding and supports those campaigning for compensation throughout the UK.”
