FOI/202500476612 · FOI · partially withheld
Cessation of supplementary grants for the Scottish Infected Blood Support Scheme: FOI release
Information requested
In relation to the services provided by the Scottish Infected Blood Support Schemes can you tell me:
What discussions have the UK Government and IBCA had with the Scottish Government about the cessation and transfer of services from SIBSS? Specifically can you provide answers to the following questions?
1. Can you provide data on which government (UK or Scottish Gov) funded counselling services and bereavement support provided in the SIBSS scheme from 2017 to the present - the questions is asking whether the UK Government funds the provision of counselling services and or if this is funded specifically by the Scottish Government and or if the funding for bereavement and or counselling are separate and or funded by different governments?
2. What efforts and what documentation exists to demonstrate any efforts the Scottish Government have made to ensure these services bereavement and counselling grants continue for infected blood victims in the transfer and or provision of IBCA?
3. What has been the total cost of counselling grants provided to Scottish citizens via SIBSS since it was established in 2017 to the present date?
4. How many Scottish citizens in total receive counselling grants and have done since 2017 in each year to the present date of this application?
5. What has been the total yearly value of counselling grants provided under the SIBSS scheme for each year between 2017- the present date?
6. How many bereavement grants have been issued since 2017 and how many in each year and what has been the value of these bereavement grants in each year?
7. What type of consultation and or consultation documents have been produced on the cessation of funding and or counselling supports have been produced by either the Scottish or UK Governments that the Scottish government has been privy too?
Additionally, you asked
"What risk assessments have the Scottish Government conducted into the removal of mental health / counselling grants from vulnerable patients suffering mental health conditions such as depression, PTSD, grief trauma and or other conditions before removing the scheme and or not conducting and consultation?"
Response
Since the UK Government (UKG) announced the setting up of the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) in May 2024, the Scottish Government has had regular discussions with the UKG and the IBCA about the cessation and transfer of services from SIBSS.
The IBCA is working to make final compensation payments to all infected and affected victims of the infected blood scandal; it does not directly seek to replicate the services that have been provided by any or all of the current UK infected blood support schemes to date. Rather, the UK infected blood compensation scheme aims to provide a fair and comprehensive final compensation scheme that is quick and simple for eligible applicants to access with, for example, categories of awards including for financial losses suffered by bereaved partners and children. The design of the scheme is based on the recommendations and principles put forward by the Infected Blood Inquiry (IBI) and the IBI Response Expert Group, and has been informed by feedback from representatives of the infected and affected blood community. As such, there have been no discussions about, or efforts made to ensure the transfer of, the bereavement lump sums or discretionary grants that SIBSS can currently provide (question 2).
Consultation and engagement on the setting up of the IBCA, and on the setting up of the UK-wide infected blood compensation scheme, is led by the UKG. However, for the reasons just set out, there has been no specific consultation related to the cessation of the discretionary counselling grants currently provided by SIBSS (question 7). Additionally, given the intentions behind the setting up of the UK infected blood compensation scheme and the existence of the Scottish Infected Blood and Haemophilia Psychology Services, and related NHS provision, no risk assessment has been made in relation to removing the discretionary counselling grants (which remain in place as of this date) currently provided by SIBSS (additional question). I can, however, confirm that the bereavement lump sums and discretionary counselling grants that are currently provided by SIBSS are funded by the Scottish Government (question 1).
The Scottish Government does not have the level of information that you have asked for in your questions 3-6 because SIBSS has the information you are looking for. This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested. However, you may wish to contact SIBSS at nss.sibss@nhs.scot who may be able to help you.
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because exemptions under the following sections of FOISA applies to that information:
28(1) (Relations with the United Kingdom)
The reason this exemption applies is explained in Annex A to this letter.
About FOI
The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.
Detected exemption language
This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested. While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because exemptions under the following sections of FOISA applies to that information: 28(1) (Relations with the United Kingdom) The reason this exemption applies is explained in Annex A to this letter.