Eljamel victims want answers from inquiry, says ex-MSP who backed campaignersA public inquiry into the disgraced brain surgeon has begun hearings.Lead campaigner Jules Rose, was among patients attending the first day of public hearings in the Eljamel Inquiry (Jane Barlow/PA)PA WireDanyel Vanreenen2 minutes ago
The patients and victims of disgraced brain surgeon Sam Eljamel “want to know who’s responsible” after suffering for years without answers, a former MSP has said.
Mr Eljamel was a consultant neurosurgeon at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee from 1995 until his suspension in December 2013.
A public inquiry is taking place after patients of Mr Eljamel raised concerns that he had harmed as many as 200 people.
The first day of proceedings began in Edinburgh on Tuesday with an opening address from Jamie Dawson KC, the inquiry’s senior counsel.
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Liz Smith, who in her former role as an MSP for Mid-Scotland and Fife represented a number of Mr Eljamel’s former patients and helped to campaign for a public inquiry, was the first witness to give evidence.
Speaking ahead of her evidence session, Ms Smith said the hearings have been a “long time coming”.
She told the Press Association: “Those patients, who are here just now, have had to suffer for such a long time, and they’re wanting answers.
“They want to know who’s responsible and why certain things happened, and why nobody has yet been held accountable.
“As a former parliamentarian, (my colleagues and I) have been asking questions about this scandal for a very long period of time and not perceiving the answers that patients absolutely deserve to have.”
Former patient Jules Rose, who led the campaign for a public inquiry, said it has been a “long, arduous and emotional journey” to reach this moment, as the inquiry finally got under way.
“I’m here with my fellow campaigners, some of whom have campaigned for 10 years to get this public inquiry, so that we can get to the bottom of why NHS Tayside allowed and enabled Eljamel to commit the harm on innocent patients for 18 years,” she said.
Jules Rose led the campaign for a public inquiry (Jane Barlow/PA)PA Wire
“He was committing harm with life-changing injuries on patients – why did NHS Tayside allow that? Why did they not intervene and stop this monstrous man? We want to get to the bottom of it. We want answers.
“What we’re expecting from this is we want to see real change and a real time change as and when the damning evidence is unfolded.”
In his opening address on Tuesday, Mr Dawson said the inquiry had reached a “significant milestone”.
During the first phase, which will last four weeks, Mr Dawson said the inquiry will hear from a wide range of witnesses including representatives of NHS Tayside, the Scottish Government, the University of Dundee, and regulatory or professional bodies.
Phase two, which is due to begin in December, was expected to focus on evidence of former patients of Mr Eljamel and from independent clinical reviews (ICR).
However, Mr Dawson said some of the planned ICR evidence will now need to be pushed back as a result of delays.
The inquiry heard more than 110 patients have had their clinical cases referred to an ICR by the inquiry.
However, the inquiry has so far only received one neurological assessment, despite the fact this was due to be heard as evidence in December.
The inquiry is taking place at Waverley Gate in Edinburgh (Jane Barlow/PA)PA Wire
“It is unrealistic to think that reviews will be advanced in sufficient numbers and to a level which would merit consideration at hearings as soon as December,” Mr Dawson said.
“The result is a necessary change of plan for December and beyond, the main goals of which are to try to make what progress we can and to seek to maintain stability for patients.
“Accordingly, the intention is that the December hearings will involve patient and possibly patient representative evidence only.”
An additional solicitor has been funded to try and speed up this work.
Dundee-based North East MSP Michael Marra, who has also supported patients and victims of Mr Eljamel, said the number of patients involved in the medical reviews is “quite extraordinary”.
The Labour MSP told PA: “There’s a huge number of patients, and it’s going to require significant resources.
“I have concerns when I see those numbers as to how long it’s going to take to work through such a number of patients, because they all have a right to the independent special analysis that they have been promised.”
He said it is the job of Parliament to make sure MSPs speak to the Scottish Government and insist on appropriate resourcing so the Eljamel Inquiry can continue at pace.
Mr Dawson also put out an “unequivocal call for evidence” and said the inquiry is “open to being approached”.
He said: “I wish to invite any medical professionals, current or former, with an interest in our work to make contact with the inquiry directly to explain what evidence they feel they can offer.
“Though we will do what we can to identify those who we think have evidence to give, we are open to being approached, and some have already approached us directly.”
The inquiry, taking place in Edinburgh before Lord Weir, continues.
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