Chairman of inquiry into rogue surgeon Sam Eljamel appointed

The chairman of the inquiry into rogue NHS Tayside surgeon Sam Eljamel has been appointed.

Health Secretary Neil Gray told MSPs on Thursday Lord Robert Weir will head up the probe.

Lord Weir was appointed a judge of the Supreme Courts in 2020.

Eljamel worked for NHS Tayside between 1995 and 2014, with campaigners claiming as many as 200 patients may have been harmed by him, some of whom suffered life-changing injuries.

Mr Gray – who took over the health portfolio this month – said: “In recent days I have met with a number of patients and patient representatives who have suffered terribly as a result of the actions of Mr Eljamel – firstly outside the Parliament at the protest last Thursday and then at a further meeting this morning.

“The experiences shared with me from these brave individuals are truly shocking and I would like to put on record my regret that their search for answers has taken so long.

“They also have my heartfelt respect for their determination to get to the truth of what has happened.”

He said that from his meetings with victims, he became aware of the “strength of their frustrations”, stressing the need for haste in progressing the inquiry.

“I will be meeting with Lord Weir and my officials this afternoon where we will discuss the planned meeting between Lord Weir and the patients’ group to be held in the coming weeks where they will look to endorse the terms of reference for the inquiry,” he added.

Alongside the inquiry, an independent clinical review was formed by former health secretary Michael Matheson to look into the cases of individual patients at their request.

Mr Gray announced Professor Stephen Wigmore has been appointed to lead the reviews.

Prof Wigmore is a regius chair of clinical surgery and the head of the surgery department at Edinburgh University.

Scottish Conservative MSP Liz Smith, a long-time campaigner for the victims of Eljamel, thanked the Health Secretary for his “very quick and effective engagement” with her and the victims since he took over his role.

“We have all heard, for 10 years in my case, the most harrowing stories about the intense and permanent physical and psychological pain of Eljamel’s patients, of families being broken apart and of heart-rending accounts of the victims trying to get to the truth, only to be knocked back at every turn,” she said.

Ms Smith said the inquiry should have started “long before now”, and that there had been “too many instances of dither and delay”.

She asked Mr Gray if he will look at how the Scottish Government oversees health boards and develop a “foolproof process” for transparency in decision making.

After acknowledging victims had waited “far too long”, the minister said: “I’m happy to take away a consideration of what more can be done to review our own processes.

“But I would expect part of the public inquiry’s evidence being taken will indeed be to ensure that type of transparency and rigour is applied across all of our public services, including Government.”

Scottish Labour deputy leader and health spokeswoman Dame Jackie Baillie asked Mr Gray if “every resource needed” will be given to both the inquiry and the reviews.

He replied: “Yes, I give that undertaking.”