Patients Anxious Over Government Silence on Eljamel Inquiry Delay

Patients of former neurosurgeon Sam Eljamel have expressed anxiety and suspicion due to the Scottish Government's lack of communication regarding delays in the public inquiry into his conduct. The inquiry, established after concerns that Eljamel harmed up to 200 patients, faced postponement of its first evidential hearings originally scheduled for April. Senior counsel Jamie Dawson KC attributed the delay to fire safety compliance issues at the Waverley Gate venue in Edinburgh, which posed risks to public attendance. Dawson criticized the absence of a public explanation from the government, noting it created a vacuum fueling speculation among traumatized victims. In response, Alastair Duncan KC, representing the Scottish Government, apologized for reporting deficiencies and acknowledged the regrettable situation. He indicated that alternative venues, potentially including facilities used by the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry, are being considered. Eljamel, who resigned in 2014 and removed himself from the medical register in 2015, is believed to be practicing in Libya. The incident highlights tensions between administrative hurdles and the need for transparency in high-stakes public health investigations.