A formal police complaint is being lodged today against NHS Tayside following the destruction of vital evidence connected to the disgraced neurosurgeon, Dr Sam Eljamel. The health board shredded theatre logbooks that were key to an ongoing public inquiry and a major police investigation into the surgeon, accused of harming around 200 patients.
Campaigner Leads Charge After NHS Shreds Key Records
The complaint is being filed by Jules Rose, a former patient of Eljamel and a leading campaigner for justice. Ms Rose was Dr Eljamel's final UK patient in 2013, when he mistakenly removed her tear duct instead of a brain tumour. Having successfully sued the NHS, she is now taking action over the destruction of the theatre logbooks.
An excerpt from her complaint, seen by Sky News, states that the destroyed materials were "capable of identifying witnesses, corroborating criminal conduct and testing the integrity of patient records". The dossier suggests the shredding occurred shortly before Police Scotland sought access to the same records for their investigation.
NHS Admits 'Mistake' After 'Do Not Destroy' Order
A judge-led public inquiry into the Eljamel scandal is currently underway in Scotland. As part of this process, NHS Tayside was issued with a formal "do not destroy" notice to preserve all relevant evidence. Despite this, it emerged in November that health bosses had destroyed 40 hard copy theatre logbooks linked to the surgeon's operations.
In response, NHS Tayside issued an all-staff email on Friday with an order to stop shredding documents. A spokeswoman for the health board told Sky News that the staff who destroyed the logbooks were "not aware of the connection" to Eljamel. She confirmed police had requested the theatre information and were later informed it had been shredded by mistake.
Surgeon's Legacy of Alleged Harm and Ongoing Probe
Dr Sam Eljamel was head of neurosurgery at NHS Tayside in Dundee from 1995 until his suspension in 2013. Police are examining approximately 200 complaints involving claims he performed life-changing, botched brain and spinal operations. Some victims have been left paralysed and require 24/7 care.
Eljamel, branded a "butcher" by campaigners, is now believed to be working at a hospital in Misrata, Libya. Sky News contacted the hospital, where an employee confirmed he works there almost daily, but they declined a request to speak to him directly.
The destruction of evidence has sparked outrage among patients and campaigners, who see it as a severe obstruction to their long fight for accountability and answers from the health service.
