Disgraced surgeon may have harmed 200 patients, campaigners claim

• Prof Eljamel worked for NHS Tayside between 1995 and 2013, leaving some patients with life-changing injuries through botched procedures
• The Scottish Government announced a public inquiry into the scandal last September
• Group representing his victims says a total of 200 patients have now come forward claiming to have been injured

A total of 200 patients have come forward alleging they have been harmed by a rogue surgeon ahead of a probe into the scandal.

A public inquiry into the disgraced neurosurgeon Sam Eljamel was announced last year with experts saying it is set to be the most complex in Scotland’s history and warning of potential delays as individual claims are scrutinised by medics.

Prof Eljamel worked for NHS Tayside between 1995 and 2013 but his botched surgeries left some people with life-changing injuries, and in December 2021 he was made to pay £2.8million in compensation to one woman after leaving her with serious disabilities.

Following a damning report into his conduct, and after a huge campaign, the Scottish Government finally announced the Eljamel inquiry in September.

Now a group representing his victims says a total of 200 patients have come forward believing they have been harmed at the hands of the surgeon.

Professor Sam Eljamel left patients with life-changing injuries following botched surgeries he carried out over an 18 year period in Scotland

Campaign leader Jules Rose said: ‘It’s bittersweet we have reached the milestone of 200 patients who have come forward to our campaign group in the belief that they have been harmed by Prof Eljamel.

‘But many patients would have felt completely isolated and just unlucky had we not campaigned intensely as we have for justice and holding those to account.’

Miss Rose herself suffered a botched surgery in August 2013 when Prof Eljamel wrongly removed her tear duct instead of a brain tumour.

The inquiry is being chaired by Lord Weir, a Supreme Court judge and Professor Stephen Wigmore, regius chair of clinical surgery and dead of the department of surgery at the University of Edinburgh.

Prof Wigmore is chairing clinical reviews of patients with the aid of expert neurosurgeons.

Although the probe was announced last year, it is yet to set any hearing dates.

In a letter to campaigners, Prof Wigmore apologised for delays and admitted initial estimates may have been too optimistic.

He said: ‘I understand your frustration with the delays in setting up the independent clinical reviews.

‘As far as I understand there has never been an inquiry and a clinical review of this complexity and scale in Scotland. My initial estimate of when it might have been possible to start was clearly over-optimistic for which I apologise.’

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Prof Eljamel’s patients were left furious at the start of the year when former first minister Humza Yousaf failed to guarantee the inquiry would begin in 2024.

The probe was announced amid damning new evidence which showed major failures in NHS Tayside’s handling of the debacle.

Prof Eljamel was placed under supervision for the last six months of his employment at the health board following complaints and concerns.

But nobody oversaw his surgeries and he operated on 111 patients during that time, putting them at risk.

He was eventually suspended and later dismissed.

Mid Scotland and Fife Tory MSP Liz Smith said: ‘Prof Wigmore is quite right to acknowledge the scale of the Eljamel scandal and all the complexities which it involves. I am pleased to hear that progress is finally being made.’

A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘The establishment of the independent Eljamel public inquiry is progressing at pace with the chairman, Lord Weir, leading on the necessary arrangements.’

Prof Eljamel returned to his home country of Libya in 2017 where he has continued to practice as a surgeon.

In 2022, a patient who took legal action against former Ninewells medic and NHS Tayside was awarded £2,810,118 following proceedings at the Court of Session.

Lord Uist ruled it was the bungling surgeon’s negligence that had left the woman with life-changing injuries and ordered Prof Eljamel pay the compensation in full.

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