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Hiring spree as vaccine injury claims soar

By Lizzie Roberts and Claire Newell

INCREASING demand for Covid vaccine injury payments has seen the number of staff processing claims increase 20-fold, figures have shown.

The Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme (VDPS) has scaled up operations and boosted its administrative staff from four to 80 to handle the claims. A project is also underway to digitalise the application process to make it simpler for claimants.

MPS, campaigners and families have called for the process to be reformed, arguing that the payment cap of £120,000 is too low, the eligibility criteria is too strict and it is too bureaucratic.

If a person is left severely disabled as a result of receiving certain vaccines they could be entitled to a one-off payment from the Government. Families can also apply for the payment if a loved one died as a result of a vaccination.

It is not treated as compensation, meaning claimants can still seek damages in court.

A group of patients and families are now taking legal action against Astrazeneca after they suffered injury or bereavement as a result of complications from the Covid vaccine.

The Hausfeld claimant group, which includes 13 bereaved families and 28 survivors, says the VDPS offers “inadequate funds to families”. Sarah Moore, who is leading the litigation, said: “No amount of compensation will bring back loved ones, or restore those injured to health – but it can make life a little bit easier for the mothers, fathers, children and parents who are now reshaping their lives.”

Figures released under Freedom of Information show more than 4,000 claims related to a Covid-19 vaccine have been submitted since Nov 1, 2021. Of those, 334 relate to a claimant who has died. Some 48 claims have been approved so far, Maria Caulfield, a health minister, said last month.

The payment scheme was taken over by the NHS Business Services Authority in November 2021.

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2023-03-25T07:00:00.0000000Z

2023-03-25T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://dailytelegraph.pressreader.com/article/281694029029670

Daily Telegraph