Police probing disgraced Dundee surgeon Sam Eljamel admitted two years ago they were struggling to establish if his behaviour was criminal due to a lack of medical expertise.
Emails show detectives leading the case in November 2022 appealed to Scottish Government health officials for help, four years after complaints were first made to police.
Officers made the plea for support to Craig White, a senior health director, who was later assigned to set up the public inquiry into the Eljamel scandal.
In an email, a Tayside detective inspector wrote: “The current focus of my investigation to determine whether or not the actions of Eljamel amounted to criminal conduct or not.
“As this is a highly specialised field of medicine achieving this is proving challenging and not something that is frequently encountered by police.”
Mr White replied to say the Scottish Government would be happy to help investigating detectives.
The latest revelations come one day after Eljamel campaigners met police in Dundee to discuss the status of the six-year probe.
Patients who were harmed by the shamed ex-NHS Tayside medic first complained in 2018, but have since protested over the lack of progress.
Police said the “massive” probe is the most complex medical investigation in Scotland’s history.
Former Dundee DJ Pat Kelly, a victim of Eljamel, said he was perplexed by the revelations police had contacted health officials for help.
He said: “I find it extremely bizarre that police were even contacting the Scottish Government for advice.
“It’s absolutely mind-blowing. What has it got to do with the government? I find the whole thing baffling.”
The police probe into Eljamel was only escalated to a “major investigation” last October, after the public inquiry was announced.
‘Playing catch-up’
Mr Kelly says the fact officers were struggling shows this should have happened much sooner.
“When this started it should have been treated as a major investigation,” he said.
“Five years down the line, they’re playing catch-up. I don’t think they took us seriously.”
We previously reported police were working with an independent neurosurgeon tasked with pouring over the files of Eljamel’s patients.
More recent emails, obtained through a freedom of information request, show the team heading the public inquiry have been in regular contact with police.
In April, inquiry officials suggested police may want to “join up resources” with the clinical review being held into Eljamel’s cases.
Emails show Lord Weir, the public inquiry chair, is actively considering how the police investigation will impact his own probe.
Inquiry officials have also been trying to organise a formal meeting with Police Scotland to discuss this further.
Police Scotland and the Scottish Government were contacted for comment.
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