Pharmacist took his own life after being denied Covid19 vaccine payment
The family of NHS pharmacist John Cross are seeking urgent assessment and reform of the Government’s Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme following the death of their beloved father. John was left “unable to move, blink or breathe” following his first Covid jab, and suffered further chronic pain and numbness which led to him spending seven months recovering in hospital.
John was urged by his doctors to apply for the Vaccine Damage Scheme payment, however his application was rejected. The scheme’s medical assessor agreed the vaccine had been the cause of John’s disabilities, but that he “wasn’t disabled enough” for a payout. Following this, John’s mental health deteriorated further and he sadly took his own life.
According to John’s widow, Christine, assessors did not speak to John in person and instead made their decision on payment eligibility with only a review of his medical records, following a two-year delay. Now, John’s family are calling for an overhaul of the payment scheme, to make it fairer for those seeking payment for their suffering.
What is the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme?
The Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme exists to provide a one-off, tax-free payment to individuals who have become severely disabled as a result of being vaccinated against any number of diseases, including coronavirus. According to the Government website, you must be “at least 60% disabled” to qualify for potential payment under the scheme. This payment is not treated as compensation, meaning you can still seek damages in court.
Set up in 1979, the scheme’s criteria for payment has origins in accident at work compensation claims for industrial injuries like amputation. John’s family and solicitor argue that physical and psychological damage caused by vaccines is not wholly comparable with other injuries, like those caused by industrial accidents, and so action must be taken to reevaluate current procedure around determining eligibility for the Vaccine Damage Payment.
Scott Whyte, Managing Director at Watermans, says
“The unprecedented speed that the Covid vaccine was brought to market is likely to leave a legacy of complications for many on a scale never seen before. The current system was devised decades ago and with no regard given to the effect of a pandemic and mass vaccination programme like we have seen since 2020. Reform is certainly overdue to take account of the changing landscape.”