Released 13 June 2024
Request:
1. How many patients within the trust have been infected by NHS blood, blood products or tissue contaminated with HIV or hepatitis C or have developed a chronic infection from blood contaminated with hepatitis B?
1a) Of those, how many have died in the last 5 years? Broken down by financial years between April 6 – April 5 (2019/2020, 2020/21, 2021/22, 2022/23, 2023/24)
1b) Of those, how many are still living and under the care of the trust?
1c) Of those living, what are the ages, ethnicity, gender of the patients?
Information disclosed:
We have carried out a reasonable search for the information requested as required under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act. It should be noted that University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust has only been in operation since 1 April 2021, following the merger of Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust (established in 2002) and Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (established in 2009).
We understand the legacy Trusts fully complied with the Infected Blood Inquiry investigation, however, a definitive list of patients infected in this way was not possible from the research carried out at the time. Although a very small number of patients were identified as being ‘at risk’ of being infected through contaminated NHS blood products over the period relevant to the inquiry, there was no certainty about how or where infection may have occurred.
On the basis that we do not hold information that meets the reporting criteria outlined in question 1 of your request, it follows that we also do not hold the information requested for parts 1a – 1c. We regret that we are unable to be more helpful with your request at this time.