Former head of neurosurgery at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, Sam Eljamel, is believed to have harmed more than 200 patients, with some said to have had life-changing injuries.
Patients of disgraced brain surgeon Sam Eljamel were summoned to crunch talks with health chiefs last night – days after calling for one’s resignation at a hospital protest. The former head of neurosurgery at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee is believed to have harmed more than 200 patients, with some said to have had life-changing injuries.
He was suspended in 2013, resigned from the health board the following year and removed from the medical register in 2015, but returned to his native Libya while a public inquiry into his work in the UK continues.
Scots harmed by the rogue medic protested outside Ninewells in Dundee last week alongside 40 bags of shredded paper, representing the destruction of 40 theatre log books by NHS Tayside in September, despite a ‘no not destroy’ order, before handing over a letter demanding the resignation of chief executive Nicky Connor.
Last night, up to 20 patients attended a meeting at a Dundee hotel with Connor and clinical director Dr James Cotton – the first ever collective meeting campaigners have had with the health board.
Lead campaigner Jules Rose, who discovered Eljamel had removed her tear gland instead of a tumour on her brain, said: “While we welcome the long-overdue meeting with NHS Tayside – first promised in November 2022 – it raises suspicion as to why the health board is suddenly willing to engage with patients and hear about the harm and frustration we have endured. Is this on the back of the protest on their doorstep?
“Having endured years of stalling, deflection and gaslighting with this healthboard, myself and patients are of the opinion that they don’t care about the harm caused to patients and the ever lasting trauma suffered, but they do care about their pay packets.
“We hope to have a productive, open and transparent meeting but we can be forgiven if we won’t hold our breath.”
The public inquiry into Eljamel’s conduct heard in November that Ninewells log books had been destroyed two months earlier.
NHS Tayside told inquiry chair Lord Weir it “deeply regretted” the error, which it said happened because staff were not aware of the logbooks’ connection with Eljamel.
The letter urging chief exec Connor to step down on Thursday said public confidence in her leadership had been “irreparably damaged”.
In January, campaigners staged another protest at Holyrood demanding First Minster John swinney intervene and remove a three-year time bar they say is preventing many victims from pursuing compensation claims against NHS Tayside.
Campaigner Rose said: “This meeting is not to address the deletion of the logbooks – that matter is rightly left to Lord Weir and Police Scotland.
“The First Minister has explicitly instructed NHS Tayside not to plead the time-bar rule. Finally, and hopefully, it appears the board may be listening: patients have been unable to secure legal representation while this barrier remains in place. The patients can never secure any legal representation whilst that rule lingers.”
NHS Tayside has previously said it does not apply a blanket approach to the three-year time bar in any legal claim.
After last week’s Ninewells protest it said it remains “deeply sorry for the destruction in error” of a number of hard copy theatre logbooks.
It said: “NHS Tayside is taking all steps to try to ensure there can be no further destruction of any documentation in error. The Board will continue to cooperate with The Eljamel Inquiry and will be accountable for its decision-making and actions taken in response to Mr Eljamel’s practice and the concerns raised.”
The Scottish Government has said it fully recognises the “pain and distress experienced by people impacted by Mr Eljamel’s practice”.
It said: “That is why we established the statutory public inquiry into the actions of Mr Eljamel and NHS Tayside to ensure patients obtain answers to their questions and that lessons are learned.
“Ministers have complete confidence in Lord Weir and the independent inquiry to get to the truth for patients and families without influence, interference or speculation on the outcome of the Inquiry.”
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