NHS Tayside has apologised to more than 100 patients for allowing disgraced surgeon Sam Eljamel to operate on them when he should have been suspended.
The health board has sent letters to everyone who went under the knife at his hands while he was under light-touch supervision from June 2013 to December that year.
It comes after The Courier revealed a new bombshell report slams NHS Tayside chiefs for opting not to keep him away from the operating table when they were apparently unable to monitor him in theatre.
The disgraced neurosurgeon, who has since fled to his native Libya, continued botching surgeries until December 2013 when he was finally suspended.
His supervision entailed little more than a consultant neurosurgeon joining him on his ward rounds once a week and the explosive report confirms 111 patients “were potentially exposed to possible harm”.
Dr Pamela Johnston, NHS Tayside executive medical director, said: “I have written to the patients who had their operation between 21 June 2013 and 10 December 2013 to inform them about the findings of the review and to sincerely apologise on behalf of the board.
“We are offering support to them in a number of ways and there is a dedicated team to help them with any questions and concerns they may have going forward.”
She says health chiefs recognise “many former patients remain understandably very upset and unhappy with what has happened”.
Dr Johnston added: “NHS Tayside apologises to former patients of the surgeon and remains committed to do whatever is required to support the independent commission which is being set up by Scottish Government to respond to patients’ ongoing concerns.”
Meanwhile, the health board now says its first record of an Eljamel complaint is from 2011 – a change in its timeline of events regarding concerns about the rogue medic.
Until Thursday NHS Tayside insisted 2013 was when issues emerged despite whistleblowers’ claiming the alarm was raised as early as 2009.
Damning findings
The damning findings come after a “due diligence” review into all documents held concerning Eljamel.
And they have led to cross-party calls for First Minister Humza Yousaf and Health Secretary Michael Matheson to agree to a public inquiry into the scandal.
Scottish Labour MSP Michael Marra says the senior leadership of NHS Tayside should now consider their positions.
He said: “For decades now, families across Tayside have been catastrophically failed by the leadership of NHS Tayside.
“For years, Eljamel was allowed to inflict harm on scores of women and men. He did so unchecked despite the alarm being raised time and time again.
“This admission has been wrung from NHS Tayside like blood from a stone.
“The persistence of victims is today vindicated but their courage can only now be honoured by a full public inquiry with the power to compel witnesses to attend.
“This must never be allowed to happen again.”
Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie added: “The Eljamel scandal is one of the greatest scandals in recent years but sadly it is only one of several NHS scandals under the SNP.
“Those who failed to end this scandal must be held to account – we need a full public inquiry and we need government ministers to come before the Scottish Parliament immediately and explain what they knew about this scandal and when.”
Scottish Conservative MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife Liz Smith said: “These latest revelations prove beyond all doubt that NHS Tayside failed to act appropriately when they knew there were very serious concerns about the medical practices of Professor Eljamel.
“Just as scandalous is the fact that they have kept the truth from the patients for years and that the Scottish Government has failed to address this.”
‘Trust weakened’
North East Fife MSP Willie Rennie, of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, labelled the review “devastating”.
He added: “The publication of this report by NHS Tayside strengthens the case for a fully independent public inquiry.”
Kinross mum Jules Rose had her tear gland removed instead of a tumour in August 2013 when the health board was meant to be monitoring Eljamel.
Ms Rose has since become a lead campaigner and argues only a public inquiry can get to the root of what went wrong.
She told us: “I feel extremely let down, frustrated and angry. This solidifies and confirms exactly what I have been fighting for.
“His restrictions were wholly inadequate.
“There are significant concerns of cover-ups and failures, and this is unlikely to be freely admitted, therefore this is why it’s crucial that a public inquiry is immediately appointed, and that all witnesses to any injury relating to Professor Eljamel partake under oath.”
‘Truly shocking’
Dundee DJ Pat Kelly – a victim of the rogue neurosurgeon – says he feels “vindicated”.
He said: “I’ve been arguing for many years that Eljamel should have been suspended long before June 2013.
“Without a doubt we need a public inquiry. The government can’t get out of this now.”
Fife gran Theresa Mallet, who heckled the first minister on the issue at the SNP’s independence conference in Dundee in June, said: “It’s just truly shocking the more I find out.
“I need to know what happened and I need to get answers. We all need to hear it no matter how traumatic it is for us.”
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