Skipton Fund Appeals - New Group
A new group for those having problems with the Skipton Fund appeals process has been set up, worth a look if you fall into this group although to be fair not many do judging by the groups activity level. http://groups.google.com/group/Appealers
The Skipton Fund was set up to make “goodwill” payments to those who were likely to have contracted Hep C from Blood products/transfusions prior to the 1990’s. Its a goodwill payment because the Govt denies any liability but has decided to pay out some tax payers money anyway. The area of appeals is a contentious one, whilst I feel that such organizations have a duty to the tax payer to ensure that the money is used wisely the Skipton Funds appeal process has been somewhat shoddy to say the least.
It seems appealers fall into a few groups. There are some that have no record of having a transfusion, bearing in mind that this could have been 20 odd years ago thats not surprising, how that is resolved I have no idea. Then there are those that have never had chronic hep c, they cleared the virus in the acute stage for example. If it were me I would thank my lucky stars and move on. The area that seems to be most controversial is those people who are/were IV drug abusers and also had a blood transfusion at some time. They are unable to get a Doctor to say that it is likely they received the virus from the NHS blood, which is correct imho. Some see this as being penalized for their honesty which I find incredible, they are being “penalized” for injecting illegal drugs, I would be unhappy if such appeals were allowed.
Visit the group and make up your own mind.
April 17th, 2006 at 11:46 am
WHERE DO I FIND OUT ABOUT MAKING A CLAIM ?
April 17th, 2006 at 11:50 am
where do I make a claim to the Skipton fund?
April 17th, 2006 at 11:53 am
http://skiptonfund.org/Eng/index.html
April 29th, 2006 at 4:27 pm
i recieved a blood transfusion in phoenix az. in 1984, at that time aids was so new, and transmisions still unsure that i was required to sign a liability waver for the blood. i wouldn’t sign it and wanted to wait on the blood, but my mid=wife and her doctor explained that i needed the blood and shouldn’t wait. i still believe that’s how i got it. that’s not to say that i have not engaged in some questionable stuff, but i think it was that transfusion.
June 22nd, 2006 at 10:13 am
I have been reading your web site over the last months and think it is amazing that there are some who still think, medics can include themselves guilty of this too, that because you cant prove how you contracted HCV that is therefore assumed it must have been through shared IV drug abuse.
wow ever thought of thinking outside the box…hepc boy.There really is little hope for those of us who are not only batteling for treatment but also rampant predudice,top marks,ask your clinic about Gammagaurd use in 1970-80s.
Sorry your male and it wouldnT have affected you would it
Good luck with your continuing treatment..have you any certified route of transmission badges I can hand out and bet you your medics havent got a clue obout Gamma etc.
June 25th, 2006 at 4:09 am
I’m a bit lost here destinys child, I’m not sure what the point of your message is, unless you just wanted to be nasty and sexist?
I’m going to assume you are confused so let me dumb things down for you.
My original post was about the Skipton Fund, Google it if you have to. In no way do you have to prove a tranmisson route for the skipton fund application. Hemophilliacs get a free pass and anybody else who can show they recieved qualifying NHS blood products before the cut off dates whose Doctor says that it is “probable” this is where the infection came from gets the cash. In this context probable means that no other risk factors exsist. Or to put it very simply just for you, if you were a junkie it is that lyfestyle that is the probable source of infection hence you will be refused Skipton money. Clear?
>bet you your medics havent got a clue obout Gamma etc.
Enlighten us, put some facts and figures behind your words and how this impacts the Skipton Fund.
October 19th, 2006 at 10:01 pm
I had an abortion and because my blood group is rhesus negative “O”, I was given a blood product called GAMMA GLOBULIN (anti-D serum). Years later I became a blood donor and in 1991 after blood donations were screened for viruses, I was informed by the National Blood service that my donation of blood was tested positive for Hep C. I went to my G.P. and he made a referral to the Freeman Hospital at Newcastle. I have put a claim into the Skipton Fund, but I have been refused and I have said I would like to appeal. Nick Fish of the Skipton Fund is very helpful. I am waiting for the decision by the appeals panel.
June 20th, 2007 at 7:23 am
My claim has been turned down because the hospital letter stating I’d had a transfusion also said i was a drug user. Although it is possible Hep C was contracted through drug use it cannot be proved that it may have been contracted through the transfusion but it is quite possible. Is it worth me appealing on the grounds that I could well have contracted HepC because of the transfusion.
August 3rd, 2007 at 3:55 pm
I recieved albumin as a blood product, the goverment refuses to accept any claim, because they say they can not do a trace-back. I have had doctors say I could have gotten hep-c from this but they will not put it in writing, because they do not wish to get into a legal battle with the government.
August 13th, 2007 at 10:18 am
Since my last entry on October 19th 2006, I have received a refusal by the Skipton Fund Appeal panel to pay the ex-gratia compensation because they do not beleive that I could have contracted hep “c” fron the blood product ANTI-D SERUM which I was given in 1975 when I had a pregnancy terminated. What I cannot understand is that the Skipton Fund Appeal panel asked me to ask my G.P. to look through my medical notes to see if there is any evidence of drug abuse (ie intravenous drug use)…I find it totally degrading that I should be aked wether or not I have been using drugs intravenously. My G.P. submitted a report to the Skipton Fund and then, they said the reason that I had been refused is because they think that the ANTI-D SERUM would not carry the Hep “C” virus.
September 7th, 2007 at 4:17 am
Im about to appeal for the same reason as you they say that no-one else from the (same batch number anti d) I recieved in 1973 have been found to have hep c.
September 27th, 2007 at 10:01 pm
Since my last entry on August 13th 2007, when doing a search for “Skipton Fund “, something came up which was a bit of a suroprise…the manager of the Skipton Fund, Keith Forster , has been charged with stealing £400,000 from funds set up to award compensation to hep c sufferers! This news article is documented on the bbc news site. After making my initial application to the Skipton Fund, I had received a letter of refusal from this Keith Forster, telling me that I was not eligible for compensation. Interesting!
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April 20th, 2009 at 8:17 am
The fact is it is not possible to become infected with Hep C merely by using IV drugs. It is necessary for the equipment used to be contaminated - and considering that from the late 70s -early 80s needles and syringes have been freely available, the sharing of them has been unnecessary.
This is propaganda used simply as a government excuse to keep down the costs. I personally know of many IV drug users who wouldn’t dream of sharing equipment.
It’s people like HepCboy who continue this stupid myth! Pathetic!!!
April 20th, 2009 at 8:20 am
ps:
one CANNOT become infected by a lifestyle. LOL
July 1st, 2009 at 7:25 am
Ive just been turned down for my claim to the hepc fund by appeal. my doctors says It is more than likely I got hep c from one of my opperations as does the hospital where I had my treatment, the reason is lack of records , no proof. Probability does\’t mean a thing.
August 7th, 2009 at 12:24 am
I am so fed up with assumption! I have never used drugs, slept around and have led what i consider to be a ordinary life. My disdemeanor was to drink too much over a fairly short period of time because i couldn’t cope with loosing my Dad and my Husband sleeping with my best friend! Through this i developed ascites and when i was rushed into hospital with internal bleeding i was given blood tranfusions. Over the last 10years i have regularly had checkups at the hospital and through this i discovered i had Hep C. Great news eh! Gratefull, non-drinking, passive, clean living, cares too much samaritan,(words of others) feels let down and angry as i do not come into the ‘time zone ‘created by the government…
August 7th, 2009 at 12:46 am
Lynn, these parliment pen-pushers are not the ones living with Hep C and all the wonderfull things that go alongside of it! The initial shock and fear of the future that you may have to face are enough to make some of them run a mile. What would they do if faced with the stigma attached, treatments involved+side effects and all of the symptoms? The stigma would certainly have an effect on their ego’s… I,m in a similar situation to you, as the hospital records have disappeared. If there is us then there must be a lot more people out ther the same so by persistance alone maybe we will get somewhere. I wish you well.
August 7th, 2009 at 12:46 am
Lynn, these parliment pen-pushers are not the ones living with Hep C and all the wonderfull things that go alongside of it! The initial shock and fear of the future that you may have to face are enough to make some of them run a mile. What would they do if faced with the stigma attached, treatments involved+side effects and all of the symptoms? The stigma would certainly have an effect on their ego’s… I,m in a similar situation to you, as the hospital records have disappeared. If there is us then there must be a lot more people out ther the same so by persistance alone maybe we will get somewhere. I wish you well.
August 23rd, 2009 at 4:01 pm
Lynn,
I am in the same boat too. Doctors and hospital says I got HepC from Nhs blood but hospitals say they have destropyed all records from the 1970’s. Don’t know what I can do now. Just finished a year of treatment and at least i am now clear. Richard
March 26th, 2010 at 11:59 am
I think we did to sign petitions go to goverment…………. its outrageous we need help now to prove our cases ……….important notes iof mine were destroyed by Salisbury Hospital,,,,,, I had many anti d……… 9 major operations………. hamoprotiens are used to help heal but do we know what they really get up when under the knife… I had IVF treatment on three occassions My sucsess was a son in 2001 he was born by ceasarian section a very low risk for mother to child ….but he got hep c…..
i had a 3 mth dabble of drugs in 86 but i know for certain I did not get hep c then.. and the freinds i hung out with then i still do today and they do not have hep c…………..The people bloody checking us out most probably dabbled !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!If I was a true drug/ alcohol abuser id accept my fate but im not and never was…….Yes Mr Fish is very freindly but its not up to him !!!……..and he does the searching on the computer
May 25th, 2010 at 2:13 am
Im feeling really anxious i had serveral blood transfusions 1986 and contracted hep c from that,i have requested medical records!! i have applied to the fund and find out today if i am elegible for a payment!!!!!