A national hotline set up to identify possible victims of a former Tayside surgeon has been besieged by calls.
Patrick McGuire of Thompsons Solicitors, who previously represented victims of the baby ashes and contaminated blood scandals, said he has been “taken aback” by the response.
Professor Muftah Salem 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.
Mr McGuire said: “Since this issue was first raised by The Courier I’ve been taken aback by the response. We’re taking calls every day from concerned and upset former patients of this surgeon.
“Many have horrific stories about their treatment with a clear pattern emerging of what people experienced.
“My team of expert lawyers are calling back each person individually to make sure they get the best legal advice.
“But we believe that these calls are just the tip of the iceberg.
“I would encourage anyone with any concern about the activities of this surgeon to give my team a call now but we also need to hear from the health authorities about how this awful situation came about in the first place.”
Mr Eljamel remains registered with the General Medical Council but without a licence to practise.
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 difficulties following surgery by Mr Eljamel.