• FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE •
8th November 2023 @ 1800 – Reporting NHS Tayside formally to Police Scotland
The Lead Patient, Jules Rose, of the Patients’ Action Group today attended the Police Station at Bell Street, Dundee. Jules walked into the station to make a formal complaint about NHS Tayside.
There is already a long running investigation by Police Scotland into disgraced neurosurgeon Eljamel which was recently upgraded to a Major Investigation[1] after the announcement of a Public Inquiry. With the recent admission of failures in NHS Tayside’s ‘Due Diligence’ report[2] and the letters sent to 111 patients, including Jules, to warn that they were “potentially exposed to possible harm” – she has decided to request investigation of NHS Tayside.
Saying of the complaint, Jules explained: “NHS Tayside failed in their duty of care to me, and they failed to provide the level of care required by statutory law. The NHS Tayside board and their employees … including the surgeon, and other medical staff… failed in their statutory duty ‘to ensure the health and safety so far as was reasonably practicable’ of myself and many others.”
She continues, “I am requesting that Police Scotland begin a criminal investigation into the criminal failings of NHS Tayside, their employees, and contractors … including Muftah Salem Eljamel, clinical and medical staff, and management staff… for ill treatment and wilful neglect.”
Jules further explained that “NHS Tayside allowed their staff to perform two craniotomies on myself between August 2013 and 9th December 2013 – their neurosurgeon, Eljamel, removed a healthy part of my body, a lacrimal gland, instead of my brain tumour. I assert that he did so unqualified and unsupervised, and he should have been suspended on 21st June 2013. NHS Tayside knowingly allowed this surgeon to perform the second surgery prior to suspension the next day, thus placing me in great danger. NHS Tayside must ensure the safety of patients. This, they failed to do before, during, and after my operations whilst I was under their care.”
Explaining one of the key questions that NHS Tayside need to answer Jules says, “Over the years in multiple reports it was exposed and criticised that NHS Tayside allowed Eljamel to interfere with SAERs (Significant/Serious Adverse Event Reviews) – creating seriously questionable conflicts of interest – doesn’t anyone find it strange that NHS Tayside omitted this in their recent ‘Due Diligence’ report? Not only should NHS Tayside be investigated for this, but SAERs are things which fall under the HSE’s RIDDOR rules (Reporting of Injuries Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013) and HSE has continually tried to point fingers at NHS Health Improvement Scotland, whilst they point fingers back at HSE in a disaster of ‘Memorandum of Understandings’ documents.”
Speaking to the rest of the group Jules explained that she was lodging this complaint personally and encourages anyone else who has been harmed to speak with Police Scotland – whether about Eljamel and/or NHS Tayside.
The group is also keen to understand more details on the activities of Police Scotland on the existing investigation into Eljamel – and have been asking them about the Health & Safety Executive’s (HSE’s) involvement, and reminding them that other parties including the General Medical Council (GMC), the Royal College of Surgeons, and NHS Health Improvement Scotland should all be subjects of interest in their investigation.
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As usual, we always believe that …
- to achieve transparent, unbiased, and honest answers.
- to have essential learning and enact real change.
- to hold to account those responsible.
- to help and support those patients living with what happened.
- to rebuild public trust in our healthcare organisations, to care for them, even now.
…is by having a thorough and independent Public Inquiry.
We must get to the truth as soon as possible,
to safeguard all patients who rely on healthcare in Scotland.
We are demanding a Public Inquiry that accomplishes these goals. We will not give up.
=== ENDS ===
[1] Police Scotland ‘Eljamel Investigation’ upgraded to Major Investigation: https://ln-k.me/TFCC and https://ln-k.me/TZIY
[2] NHS Tayside ‘Due Diligence Report’: excerpts and video – https://ln-k.me/pcfv and NHS Tayside official site – https://ln-k.me/nvFi