Inquiry into rogue surgeon Sam Eljamel to hear opening statements
A public inquiry into neurosurgeon Sam Eljamel will hear from key participants making opening statements.
Mr Eljamel was head of neurosurgery at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee from 1995 until his suspension in December 2013.
It is thought that he harmed dozens of patients during this time, leaving some with life-changing injuries.
The surgeon resigned from his position in May 2014 and removed himself from the General Medical Register the following year.
The Eljamel Inquiry into his professional practices was announced by the Scottish Government in September 2023 and its terms of reference were set by Scottish Health Secretary Neil Gray earlier this year.
His remit includes how concerns about Mr Eljamel were responded to by his employer, NHS Tayside, and whether current systems are adequate to protect patients.
The inquiry’s senior counsel Jamie Dawson KC will make opening statements at the hearing in Edinburgh on Wednesday, as will Joanna Cherry KC for the patient group, Una Doherty KC for NHS Tayside and Laura Thomson KC for Scottish ministers.
On Thursday, the inquiry will hear submissions made on behalf of Improving Healthcare Scotland, NHS Training for Scotland and the Royal College of Surgeons (Edinburgh).
The inquiry will also hear a submission made on behalf of the Independent Clinical Review (ICR), which is not a core participant.
On Wednesday, Mr Dawson will also detail plans for future hearings of the inquiry as it approaches the start of evidentiary hearings in 2026.
Part one, the first block of hearings, will examine the background to the inquiry’s terms of reference, including the roles of key institutions, individuals, and policies and practices relevant to the matters examined by the inquiry.
It will look at areas including the broad trajectory of Mr Eljamel’s career in Scotland, the types of work he undertook and the systems surrounding NHS practice.
It will also examine the circumstances surrounding his appointment as consultant neurosurgeon at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee in 1995, as well as other key roles and complaints and feedback systems at NHS Tayside.
