More than 500 infected blood victims have died during the five years of inquiry

More than 500 victims of the worst treatment disaster in NHS history have died during the long-awaited infected blood inquiry.

The Daily Mail can reveal the damning figure as the five-year probe – the largest inquiry in UK history – finally concludes next week.

The inquiry will sit for the last time next Friday before chairman Sir Brian Langstaff retires to consider the mountain of evidence. But it has come too late for those who have died without seeing justice.

According to the Haemophilia Society, more than 500 of those infected in the scandal have died since the inquiry was announced in 2017. With victims dying at a rate of one every four days, it is feared many more will be gone before the inquiry’s recommendations are implemented and full compensation issued.

The inquiry will sit for the last time next Friday before chairman Sir Brian Langstaff retires to consider the mountain of evidence

Society chief executive Kate Burt urged the Government to ‘face up to past mistakes’ by acting quickly on the inquiry’s findings, which are expected to be published later this year. She said: ‘Time is not on our community’s side.’

Thousands were infected with HIV and hepatitis C via contaminated blood in the 1970s and 1980s amid claims of a cover-up. Among those to have died during the inquiry was campaigner Peter Mossman.

Mr Mossman died aged 78 after developing pneumonia, and was buried at 3pm on February 3, 2022. Sir Brian is due to deliver his closing remarks at 3pm on February 3.

‘My father was consumed by his need to get justice and battled for this inquiry for so long,’ Mr Mossman’s son Gareth said.

‘It makes me emotional to think the inquiry is coming to an end on the anniversary of his funeral. It’s massively upsetting that he is not here to see it.’