NHS Tayside 'should have' sacked disgraced brain surgeon years ago, inquiry told
Dr James Cotton told the Eljamel Inquiry that Sam Eljamel could have been struck off seven years before his 2014 departure, saying he could not understand why the surgeon kept operating alone.
NHS Tayside could have struck off disgraced brain surgeon Sam Eljamel seven years before his eventual departure in 2014, a senior doctor has told the public inquiry into his practice.
Dr James Cotton, executive medical director of NHS Tayside, told the Eljamel Inquiry he would personally have stopped Eljamel from practising earlier, after concerns led to the neurosurgeon being placed under supervision in June 2013.
Asked by senior counsel Jamie Dawson KC whether something had gone wrong with the supervision requirements, Dr Cotton replied: “Fundamentally, yes.”
He said he could not understand why Eljamel was not removed from operating. The supervision amounted to weekly meetings where he discussed his patients, but which did not address his practice itself.
“The evidence that I’ve got, I cannot understand why he was allowed to continue to operate alone, or was continue was allowed to operate or operate at all,” Dr Cotton said.
The inquiry also heard of a December 2012 complaint from a fellow medical practitioner to the NHS Tayside chief executive alleging a botched sight surgery, and another sight surgery complaint dating back to 2007. Pressed on whether these, along with other allegations of malpractice, should have led to Eljamel being struck off sooner, Dr Cotton said: “It could and should have happened, yes.”
He denied there had been any form of cover-up of Eljamel’s actions over the years. The inquiry, chaired by Lord Weir, continues.
Sources
- The Oldham Times (PA): https://www.theoldhamtimes.co.uk/news/national/26591376.nhs-tayside-should-have-sacked-disgraced-brain-surgeon-years-ago-inquiry-told/
- The Eljamel Inquiry — hearings timetable: https://www.eljamelinquiry.scot/hearings/hearings-timetable
- Bury Times (PA, background on inquiry principals): https://www.burytimes.co.uk/news/national/25456403.inquiry-rogue-surgeon-told-efforts-locate-libya/
More on this topic: all UK Broadband stories
