Patients have slammed the “brass neck” of a former Tayside surgeon who has gone on a “jolly” to Copacabana Beach in Brazil while they lie bed-ridden.
Professor Muftah Salem Eljamel remained on the International Photodynamic Association (IPA) board of directors despite being suspendedfrom his post last year after a patient underwent surgery on the wrong spinal disc.
The surgeon is due to address guests at Saturday’s opening ceremony of the 15th IPA World Congress at the five-star Belmond Copacabana Palace Hotel in Rio de Janeiro.
But it has now emerged that the IPA did not know about his suspension.
IPA treasurer and director Carolyn Cross said: “This information is not known to me and likely others on the board. We will take up this matter next week when the board meets as a group.”
Mr Eljamel, who was a consultant neurological surgeon in Tayside from 1995, was suspended from his post last year.
He also had to step down from his teaching and research posts at Dundee University following the interim order by the Medical Practitioners’ Tribunal Service, before retiring from the NHS.
The floodgates effectively opened when former Dundee radio DJ Patrick Kelly called for a public inquiry after claiming he was the victim of a “botched operation” in 2007 by Mr Eljamel.
Since then many more people have come forward to say they were also left with long-term health difficultiesfollowing surgery by Mr Eljamel.
Mr Kelly said: “I simply cannot believe that this man, who has left a trail ofmisery and destruction, can simply skip off on a jolly to the Copacabana Beach.
“People are unable to walk, bed-ridden and in chronic pain each day while he can travel the world giving medical talks while he is still suspended in the UK.
“This is just a joke but we arecertainly not laughing at this man’s brass-necked antics.”
Mr Eljamel, who lived in Newportduring his time at Ninewells, could now be working on the other side of the Atlantic despite his UK suspension.
He is known to have visited Connecticut after his suspension and his details recently emerged on a website which is the largest professional network for US physicians.
The GMC said whether or not he could practise abroad was “a matter for overseas regulators”.
Mr Eljamel has failed to respond to various requests for comment since his suspension.