Perthshire MSP Jim Fairlie has become the first SNP politician to back a public inquiry into the scandal surrounding disgraced former Dundee surgeon Sam Eljamel.
Pressure is mounting on Humza Yousaf’s government to give in to the demands of campaigners who insist it is the only route to getting the answers they need.
Bombshell report findings – exclusively revealed in The Courier last week – said NHS Tayside should have suspended Eljamel in June 2013 instead of putting him under light-touch supervision.
The shocking review also revealed complaints around the bungling surgeon’s behaviour had been raised as early as 2011, a change in the health board’s timeline of events.
It came as NHS Tayside sent more than 100 apology letters to patients who were operated on by Eljamel in the months leading up to his suspension.
Backbench MSP Mr Fairlie admitted he has “real concerns” any route other than a full public inquiry will fail to get to the bottom of the scandal.
He wrote to SNP health chief Mr Matheson after meeting with constituent Jules Rose, who was harmed by Eljamel when he was under ‘supervision’.
In his letter, Mr Fairlie said: “I have very real concerns that without the ability to compel witnesses to appear, the only way to get to the answers needed by the patients who were Eljamel’s victims, and for the wider peace of mind and security of patient safety going forward, is to have an independent public inquiry.
“I have taken due diligence and given the matter my thorough consideration and I have not been persuaded that there is a better way of achieving the outcome that satisfies the wishes of my constituent and of the other victims of Eljamel.
‘Major step forward’
“I firmly believe this is the right thing to do in this distressing case.”
At the moment, Mr Yousaf’s government is intending to launch an independent review into the scandal, which is different from a public inquiry.
Patients fear this process would potentially allow key witnesses to get off the hook if they do not want to appear.
Mr Yousaf has warned a public inquiry may take much longer for patients to get the answers they desperately want.
However, the Scottish Government has been rejecting calls for an inquiry since 2015, when Deputy First Minister Shona Robison was health secretary.
Campaigner Ms Rose praised Mr Fairlie for supporting the demands of campaigners and laid down the gauntlet for other SNP MSPs to follow suit.
She said: “I’m thrilled that Jim took the time to meet with me and listen in explicit detail to the pain and suffering that all the patients I represent are enduring on a daily basis.
“We consider this as a major step forward, and Mr Matheson and the first minister’s walls are beginning to crumble down rapidly.
“We are appealing to the other SNP MSPs who are fully aware of their constituents’ trauma, to do the right thing and support a public inquiry as Jim has done.”
Patients who were harmed by Eljamel intend to hold a protest outside the Scottish Parliament this week to keep up pressure on the government.
Conversation