[RichardCoulter]

Yesterdays 'Call The Midwife' did a very moving follow up to the story of the little girl born with birth defects after her mother took the Thalidomide drug for morning sickness.

They covered some of the effects such as being born with no roof to the mouth, blindness, deafness, fingers growing out of shoulders etc.

I found it very moving to see the subsequent difficulties that Thalidomide victims faced as they grew a little older.

I wonder if they will cover the difficulties that people with this condition now face as their bodies age?

How many of you over a certain age have the same dexterity that you had when you were younger? Are you still able to touch your toes for example?

Many Thalidomide victims have had to resort to using their feet as hands; conversely, this has put a considerable strain on these limbs and their bodies have become older in real terms than their chronological age.

Many have had to give up work partially or fully, yet are treated in the same disgraceful way that other disabled people have been treated in the last few years.

Additional costs such as house adaptations for wheelchair access were never factored into the settlement.

When compensation was agreed all those years ago, the issues above were missed on the radar by those negotiating on their behalf.

Is it now time to re-open the previously agreed terms of the financial settlement?