More than 20 people have been questioned by police after allegations that a brain surgeon harmed dozens of patients during operations. Police Scotland said the inquiry into the actions of Sam Eljamel while working for NHS Tayside was a complex investigation that would take time.
It has now been revealed in figures seen by the BBC that the health board paid out more than £3 million to settle cases against its neurosurgery department in only five years.
A Freedom of Information request found NHS Tayside paid out £3,163,716 for five cases against the department between 2012 and 2017. The health board said that each case was investigated thoroughly and in a small number compensation was paid.
Mr Eljamel, 61, was the head of the neurosurgery department in Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, one of four specialist centres in Scotland. He was suspended in December 2013 and retired soon after.
A BBC Disclosure investigation found the health board did not have effective systems in place to pick up on recurrent mistakes before 2013 and saw evidence that dozens of people claimed to have been harmed by Mr Eljamel. In one case he failed to remove a tumour.
The Times (News UK), 11th November 2018 – archived below for public information.
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