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 alleged malpractice. The inquiry, which addresses concerns that Eljamel harmed up to 200 people, saw its first evidential hearings postponed from April due to fire safety concerns at the Waverley Gate venue in Edinburgh. Senior counsel Jamie Dawson KC stated that while the inquiry team was unaware of the severity of the risk until February, the government's failure to publicly explain the delay created a vacuum of information. This silence fueled speculation among victims that they were being excluded from the process. During a procedural hearing, the Scottish Government acknowledged deficiencies in its reporting and apologized, proposing an alternative venue. The inquiry aims to investigate life-changing injuries suffered by patients under Eljamel's care at Ninewells Hospital between 1995 and 2013. The situation highlights tensions between administrative hurdles and the need for transparency for traumatized participants.