Humza Yousaf still does not back a full public inquiry into the scandal surrounding disgraced Dundee doctor Professor Sam Eljamel despite bombshell cover-up claims.
Whistleblowers who worked with the rogue surgeon told the BBC NHS Tayside was aware of concerns surrounding his behaviour four years before they suspended him.
Campaigners who were harmed by Prof Eljamel insisted the latest revelations put the case for a large-scale public inquiry beyond doubt.
The ex-NHS Tayside neurosurgeon repeatedly botched operations when he worked in Dundee between 1995 and 2013.
He was ordered to pay one victim £2.8 million in compensation due to his mistakes and removed the wrong part of another patient’s body.
The Scottish Government confirmed on Friday they were “considering” an independent review into the disgraced doctor’s actions.
That’s different from a public inquiry, which is what campaigners have been demanding.
Mr Yousaf said on Monday a full public probe was not the best path forward for victims of the surgeon seeking justice.
The first minister fears an inquiry would struggle to get off the ground since Prof Eljamel fled Scotland years ago and is unlikely to return.
He told us: “The reason why I have said that I don’t think a public inquiry is the way to go is not because I doubt for a single second the hurt and trauma that’s been caused by Eljamel’s actions.
“The difficulty is of course there would be, I suspect, virtually no cooperation whatsoever from Professor Eljamel, the main individual involved in this.
“He’s working abroad. There would be no way to compel him to come here. I don’t think it would give the answers that are required.
“A public inquiry might not look at every single case, but an independent commission could be tasked to do that.
“I would argue it can individual cases in depth and that’s what I think is really important in this case.”
However, victims rubbished this and insisted any inquiry should primarily focus on the alleged cover-up within NHS Tayside.
Lead campaigner Jules Rose said: “Mr Yousaf, please stop attempting to deflect this back to Professor Eljamel.
“This is only the tip of the iceberg for more whistleblowers to have the courage to come forward in what has been and perhaps still is a toxic environment.
“I keep repeating myself: NHS Tayside assisted Professor Eljamel to commit this harm for 18 years.”
Campaigner Pat Kelly, another victim of Prof Eljamel, fears an independent review would not go far enough.
He told us: “Would an independent inquiry have the power to force witnesses to attend and take the oath?
“Would witnesses be charged with contempt should they lie on oath? Somehow, I doubt it.
“However, a public inquiry would enable the matter of NHS Tayside and Sam Eljamel to be lawfully and properly investigated.”
Victims of Prof Eljamel previously claimed Mr Yousaf was “unfit” to become SNP leader on the basis of his handling of the scandal as health secretary.
Deputy First Minister Shona Robison, an MSP in Dundee and a former health secretary, backed Mr Yousaf’s position.
She insisted SNP health chief Michael Matheson was doing all he can to help patients.
Ms Robison said: “Michael Matheson is exploring what processes could be put in place to give the patients the answers to some of the questions that they’re looking for.”
‘They all knew about it’
Among the shocking accusations made by whistleblowers were claims Prof Eljamel regularly left the operating table and let junior doctors carry out surgeries unsupervised.
One doctor alleged senior staff within NHS Tayside shut down colleagues who raised the alarm against the rogue surgeon.
He told the BBC: “It went all the way up to the board. They all knew about it.”
An NHS Tayside spokesperson said: “NHS Tayside were not previously aware of these concerns by former trainees relating to their experiences of Professor Eljamel, who was suspended by NHS Tayside in December 2013.
“We understandably take these concerns very seriously and we would encourage anyone who has concerns about Professor Eljamel to contact the Patient Liaison Response Team.”