Patients of disgraced Dundee doctor protest in demands for inquiry

Those harmed by a disgraced doctor will protest outside the Scottish Parliament calling for a public inquiry to establish why he was allowed to continue ‘butchering’ patients for so long.

Professor Sam Eljamel was suspended as head of neurosurgery at NHS Tayside in Dundee in 2013 after carrying out countless botched operations.

The 99 patients left with life-changing injuries have been demanding a public inquiry.

However, health secretary Michael Matheson has refused to order one and has offered to carry out an independent review instead

Some of Eljamel’s former patients can no longer walk and others are in constant pain.

Dawn Harris, a former patient with a brain tumour, told STV News: “I wasn’t able to walk, talk, read, write. I couldn’t do anything for myself, basically.

“He said that the tumour was pressing on the brain stem and he had to leave 10% of it in otherwise he would have paralyzed me completely.

“But he never, ever gave me an explanation to what really went wrong.”

She added: “It makes me angry to think that someone can destroy your life, basically, while their life’s just rolling along.

“I would like answers to why this expert, so to be, was let loose on vulnerable people. Definitely, because he was underqualified. So why was this never, ever picked up? And then why hide it or try to hide it?”

Eljamel was placed under investigation and under supervision, but was allowed to continue operating on patients.

Another patient Jules Rose was the last person to be treated by him. She was diagnosed with a rare brain tumour but Eljamel removed her tear duct instead.

Eljamel was suspended by NHS Tayside the day after her surgery.

A damning Scottish Government report found that NHS Tayside repeatedly let patients down.

Previous health secretary Humza Yousaf rejected a public inquiry.

Eljamel removed himself from the General Medical Council’s register and is now thought to be working in Libya.

Previously, health secretary Michael Matheson said his deepest sympathies go out to the patients and he’s considering the next best steps to ensure they have the answers they need.

He said: “I am considering what the best next steps would be to ensure patients and their families can have confidence that they have the answers they need on their own cases.

“That’s why I met NHS Tayside and a small group of cross-party MSPs to discuss further options to support and resolve the ongoing concerns of patients affected

“I’ve already commissioned work to look at what we can put in place, on an independent basis, that would help to make sure that the voices of those patients are being properly listened to, that the stories of their experience have been taken into account.

“I hope that will provide them with as much information as possible on their individual cases to try and answer the questions they have.”