Inquiry into rogue surgeon to hold preliminary hearing next month
In 2013, Mr Eljamel was placed under supervision and later suspended following concerns about the standard of clinical care he was providing to patients.
He resigned from NHS Tayside in 2014.
Patients of the former neurosurgeon have claimed he harmed as many as 200 people, with some suffering life-changing injuries.
The Eljamel Inquiry will determine, among other things, whether patients were let down by failures in clinical governance, risk management, and complaints procedures, and the adequacy of previous reviews.
It will also examine to what extent Mr Eljamel's private practice, research, and workload impacted on care received by his patients, and whether, and if so to what extent, Mr Eljamel and NHS Tayside tried to conceal evidence of sub-standard care.
The independent public inquiry, chaired by Lord Weir, will hold a preliminary hearing in Edinburgh on September 10 to set out its progress and intentions.
Scotland's Health Secretary Neil Gray formally set up the inquiry on April 3, empowering it to begin the process of gathering evidence.
To date, Lord Weir has designated applicants including NHS Tayside, 133 former patients of Mr Eljamel and 19 personal representatives of former patients. This group is represented by the legal firm Levy & McRae.
The Scottish Government and the University of Dundee are also designated as core participants, as are the Royal College of Surgeons (Edinburgh), Healthcare Improvement Scotland, and NHS Education for Scotland.
Members of the public, including former patients, can apply to attend the preliminary hearing in person.
Proceedings will also be broadcast live on the inquiry's YouTube channel, and will be available to view later on its website.
The preliminary hearing will take place at Waverley Gate in central Edinburgh.
A spokesperson for NHS Tayside said: 'We are actively participating in the Eljamel Inquiry.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scotsman
14 hours ago
- Scotsman
Forth Valley mortician who found job during grief says it is her 'true calling'
Scotland's Health Awards 2025 close for nominations on Sunday. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... An NHS Forth Valley mortician has been recognised for her 'passion' and 'dedication' to the role. Sammy Fleming, 25, has been nominated for the Integrated Care award at Scotland's Health Awards 2025, hosted by The Scotsman in partnership with Scottish Government. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad She began studying mental health nursing at The University of Stirling. However, after the loss of her father and subsequent family challenges, she had to pause her studies. During this time, Ms Fleming 'became resolute' in her desire to support others experiencing similar grief. This led her to apply for a position at the Forth Valley Hospital mortuary - which she believes is her 'true calling'. Sammy Fleming has been nominated for the Integrated Health award. | Supplied Her mum, who nominated Sammy, said: 'Sammy is a caring and diligent professional who plays a vital role in honouring the deceased and assisting grieving families Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Since joining the mortuary, Sammy has found what she believes is her true calling. Despite the inherent difficulties of the role, she approaches her work with passion and dedication. 'She is deeply committed to assisting families through their most challenging moments, ensuring dignity and respect for those who have no family to advocate for them.' Make sure you keep up to date with news from across Scotland by signing up to our free newsletter here 'At just 25 years old, Sammy demonstrates remarkable strength and empathy in a role that many would find unimaginable,' she added. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Her colleagues at the hospital share my admiration for her exceptional work. 'She has excelled in providing comfort and support to individuals and families during times of profound loss, and I wholeheartedly believe she deserves this recognition for her outstanding contributions.' Nominations are open for Scotland's Health Awards 2025. | NationalWorld The Integrated Care award is for an individual, a group or a team who provide vital, high quality, co-ordinated health and social care and support that helps people in Scotland in a way that is person-centred, safe and effective. This award aims to recognise care and support that has been planned around the needs and expectations of the person, their carer(s) and family to achieve improved outcomes. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Health award nominations close on Sunday, August 17 Other award categories include care for mental health, as well as awards for the doctor, nurse, top team, support worker, young achiever, volunteer, midwife and leader of the year. The Scotsman spoke to the health secretary as nominations officially opened for 2025 to hear just how important Scotland's Health Awards are. Caroline Lamb, chief executive of NHS Scotland and director-general health and social care, and Health Secretary Neil Gray at the launch of The Scotsman Health Awards 2025, which will be held in the Edinburgh Corn Exchange in November. | Lisa Ferguson 'I'm delighted to announce the launch of Scotland's Health Awards 2025,' Mr Gray said. 'These awards offer the opportunity to not only acknowledge all of our fantastic colleagues who work tirelessly day in, day out across our health and care services, they give us the chance to show what their extraordinary achievements mean to each and every individual in Scotland. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'I've witnessed first-hand the incredible work that goes on across our health and care settings. That's why I'm so pleased that these awards recognise frontline health and social care workers and also celebrate those who work so hard in support roles to ensure our services achieve the highest quality of care and patient experience.' Nominations are now open across 17 award categories, which all aim to recognise frontline health and social care workers and celebrate those who work hard behind the scenes to make sure patients across the country get the highest level of care possible.
The Herald Scotland
15 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
6% of lung cancer patients died within 30 days of treatment
The Scottish Conservatives have warned SNP ministers to 'get a grip' of the cancer crisis or risk more lives being lost. Public Health Scotland published its annual report on the number of patients who died within a month of starting their last cycle of systemic anti-cancer therapy (SACT). The Scottish Government does not currently have statutory targets set for SACT 30-day mortality. However, the highest reported cancer mortality within 30 days of starting treatment is lung and chest at 5.8%, according to the report. Out of the 2,496 people who began treatment for lung and chest cancer last year, 144 people died within the month of treatment. Dr Sandesh Gulhane, a GP and health spokesman for the Scottish Tories, said more work must be done to discover the cancer early. Read more: SACT drugs include cytotoxic chemotherapy, targeted therapies and immunotherapy. The deaths can be directly due to the treatment received, but deaths unrelated to treatment are also included in the statistics. These deaths could be due to disease progression, co-morbidities or any other unrelated cause. At the start of each treatment cycle, a prescriber assesses the patient to determine whether the treatment is suitable and safe. A decision to treat reflects the prescriber's belief that the treatment is likely to benefit the patient and outweigh any harmful side effects, including irreversible toxicity and the patient dying. The lowest 30-day mortality was for SACT treatment was breast cancer at 2%, with 95 out of 4,707 patients dying. However, 1.7% of the 460 patients treated for curable lung and chest cancer died within 30 days of their last treatment, compared to 6.6% of the 2,067 patients treated for non-curable diagnoses. At NHS Ayrshire and Arran, the highest 30-day mortality was 8.6%, where 13 patients died out of 152 patients. Dr Gulhane told The Herald: 'These harrowing statistics must be an urgent wake-up call for the SNP. 'Successive SNP health secretaries have failed to get a grip of Scotland's cancer care crisis and lives are being lost as a result. Read more: 'Everyone knows how crucial early diagnosis and treatment is when tackling an aggressive form of the disease such as lung cancer, so it is even more devastating that lives are being lost within a month of starting treatment. 'We cannot keep letting more and more families across Scotland experience the loss of loved ones in this way. 'The SNP have failed to meet their cancer waiting time targets for well over a decade now, but they still have no plan to address this ticking timebomb. 'Neil Gray should show common sense and prioritise early detection programs, promote healthy lifestyles and guarantee cancer services will have the resources they need to support patients.' It comes as the Scottish Government were last month urged by the Scottish Liberal Democrats to roll out a lung cancer screening programme to save thousands of lives. The programme was first recommended three years ago by the UK National Screening Committee, with target screening suggested for those aged 55 to 75 who currently smoke or used to. Cancer Research UK suggested around 4,000 cancer suffers could be diagnosed earlier with the scheme, saving at least 2,000 lives. Screening is already up and running in England and there are similar plans being developed in Wales, however the Scottish Government does not currently plan to introduce a programme. A Scottish Government spokesperson said: 'We are determined to improve cancer survival, and we know earlier diagnosis is crucial. That is why we have already committed to a lung screening pilot which will initially concentrate on some of the most deprived areas in Scotland, as the first step to a national rollout. 'We have published an optimal diagnostic pathway for lung cancer, supported by almost £3.5 million, setting ambitious timeframes for diagnosis and treatment. 'Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers being diagnosed by our Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Services, which are finding cancer faster, evaluation shows it can reduce the time from referral to diagnosis for patients to a median wait of 14 days.'
Metro
20 hours ago
- Metro
Men are risking their health taking underground gym pills- I'm one of them
I first heard about MK-677 in the backroom of a gym that smelled like old chalk, sweat, and secrets. It wasn't on the supplement shelf or being hyped on a billboard. It was whispered about. ' Ibutamoren' , someone said quietly, like it was too potent to say out loud. A guy in his late 40s, built like a boulder, leaned in while we were cooling off after a late lift. 'You want to recover like you're 20 again?' he asked me, handing a bottle with no label—just a barcode and a warning look. That was my introduction to the growth hormone stimulant MK-677. Originally developed to treat muscle wasting and growth hormone deficiencies, it's gained traction in fitness circles for its supposed ability to help build muscle, reduce fat, improve sleep, and speed up recovery. Unlike injecting human growth hormones, MK-677 comes in pill form, making it more appealing—and more dangerously accessible. Like most things in the fitness underground, it wasn't about what it promised. It was about what might be possible. Just a few days after my first introduction to MK-677, a friend texted to tell me he knew a way I could gain 5kg-7kg in two months and that it would be mainly muscle. I replied that it simply wasn't possible. From the age of 25, I had spent seven years turning my body into what many would describe as a machine — dense, sculpted, powerful, but not bulky in the traditional sense. I wasn't a bodybuilder, exactly, but I was training with precision and an obsession with muscle growth. While some people spend years trying to lose weight to look a certain way, I spent years gaining it. I'd push myself hard, working out five times a week, a little cardio here and there, but mainly lifting—heavy compound movements like squats, deadlifts, bench press. My diet was decent, not perfect. Chicken, rice, eggs, protein shakes, the usual 'clean eating' formula. I even tried intermittent fasting because someone on YouTube said it would 'reveal the abs hidden underneath.' It didn't. I'd managed to nearly get to my goal weight, but was 5kg off – and no matter what I tried over the years, the scales barely budged. Then my friend sent me the link to something he had used 'first hand' so he could vouch for its authenticity – again the words MK-677 flashed up. His 'quick fix', coupled with the fact that someone had literally handed me a bottle felt like my sign, at the age of 40, to try it. To be fair, Ibutamoren is everywhere, if you know where to look. From weekend warriors and aging lifters to influencers documenting their 'body recomposition' journeys on YouTube, and TikTok, Ibutamorenis riding a biohacking wave. But the science is murky, the regulation basically nonexistent, and the long-term effects still mostly unknown. 'People are talking about Ibutamoren like a shortcut for muscle growth or fat loss, especially among newer lifters who want quick progress,' explains personal trainer and health coach Kevin Rail. 'The problem is that it is not a supplement you pick up with your protein powder. It is not approved for any use, and a lot of what is sold online comes from places where you cannot be sure what is inside. When you do not know the dose or the purity, the risk goes up fast because your body is the test site.' Yet, as someone who is a bit of a risk taker, I decided to take the plunge – and I must admit the first few weeks were incredible. My sleep was deep, like my body was finally getting the rest it always needed, while my appetite went through the roof. With it came fast gains in size and within two weeks I had shot up 2kg. In turn, the amount I was able to lift went up and recovery was faster. I looked pumped. But then came the water retention. Within days I had a puffy face, swollen ankles. When I looked in the mirror I chose to ignore the visible side effects, as it felt like a mild price to pay. However, my blood sugar crept up and my hunger got out of control. Eating 'clean' became a battle. I didn't feel unhealthy, but I didn't feel quite right either. After eight weeks, I stopped. Immediately my drop in weight was noticeable. I went down 2kg, then 4kg. My sleep issues returned and my joints ached. Even worse, my body softened. Kevin explains that as MK-677 raises growth hormones and IGF-1, which can add weight and fullness, it 'pulls on the entire hormone system'. 'That is why people report big jumps in water retention, sore joints, and appetite swings that make eating feel hard to control. Some describe numbness, tingling, or swelling in hands and feet, and they only connect it later. 'Concerns about heart health are the most serious because strain on the cardiovascular system is not something you want to trade for a slightly bigger pump,' he warns. 'It has been studied in medical trials for specific problems, but it is not approved for regular use outside these settings.' Dr David McLaughlan is a consultant psychiatrist at the Priory and says they've seen 'a noticeable rise' in body image concerns among young men. 'The growing promotion of ibutamoren as a muscle-building or 'anti-aging' drug is deeply worrying. It has been banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency, and is not approved for human use,' he explains. As co-founder of addictive behaviour change app Curb Health, Dr McLaughlan adds 'the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) raised safety concerns, highlighting one clinical trial which was stopped early due to signs of congestive heart failure in patients taking the drug.' 'Steroids are versions of testosterone that attach to androgen receptors in muscle and other tissues, which pushes protein synthesis and strength,' ,' explains PT Kevin Rail. 'The results tend to be faster and more obvious, but the trade offs are heavier too: your own testosterone can shut down, cholesterol and blood pressure can worsen, mood can swing, acne can flare, hair loss can speed up if you are prone, and some oral drugs strain the liver. 'MK-677 creates a signal that tells your brain to release more growth hormone (not testosterone), which then raises IGF-1. People notice bigger appetite and more water weight, sometimes tingling or swelling, because it leans on the growth hormone system and fluid balance. It is not approved for bodybuilding use and it is banned in tested sport.' Mark* first started taking MK-677 in May 2025 and within three weeks, he noticed a significant uptick in appetite—describing it as 'eating everything in the fridge.' 'The hunger came on quickly and intensely, especially within a few hours of taking the pill,' he tells Metro. This dramatic increase in food intake coincided with a noticeable weight gain, also of around 2kg. Rather than up his dose in a bid to speed things up even more, as I had, Mark remained steady and over two months continued to see weight gain and a fuller appearance in his muscles. The hunger stayed strong throughout, which made it easy for the 46-year-old to stay in a caloric surplus. While Mark has yet to reach his goal weight, he insists the initial results have been promising. ' I'm definitely committed to staying steady with this for now. The progress might be slow, but it's consistent, and that's what matters to me,' he says. However, Mark also worries he doesn't know if he can stop. 'Honestly, it feels like I'm hooked,' he admits. 'I don't know if I can just stop and still keep these results—it's become part of my routine.' Dr McLaughlan adds: 'Any substance that alters growth hormone levels can affect brain chemistry in unpredictable ways. Without medical supervision, people could be putting themselves at risk of serious and potentially irreversible harm. 'We urge anyone experiencing issues relating to body image or addiction to speak to a qualified medical professional.' After taking a two-month break I tried MK-677 again, this time being more careful about how much and coming off it if I didn't feel so great. At the moment, the gains are very quick and my body looks full and muscly – but there have been days where I have had pounding headaches, or really powerful stomach cramps. I also live with the knowledge that MK-677 is not FDA-approved and may carry side effects I've yet to encounter, which could be even more dangerous. So why do I take it? I feel that you only live life once and I want to test my body. At least I can say I did everything I could to obtain the best physique possible. And there's no getting away from the fact that people like me are willingly hacking their biology without necessarily waiting for long-term safety data or regulatory approval. You only have to look at someone like Bryan Johnson, who regularly has stem cell therapy and used immunosuppressants usually given to for organ transplant patients in a bid to live longer, to see how far some people will go. It feels like a new era where pharmacological self-optimisation is becoming mainstream and the line between medicine and lifestyle enhancement is blurring. More Trending However, MK-677 shows how quickly new science can leap from the lab bench to TikTok-fueled trends, where people happily experiment on themselves. The question is, are users really prepared for what comes next? *Name has been changed PT Kevin Rail is a contributor at Premium Saunas, a company that promotes a lifestyle centered around wellness and relaxation. View More » MORE: Chef claims viral moment with influencer destroyed his career – but who's in the right? MORE: 'I'm an elite matchmaker – sometimes you don't know who you're talking to until NDAs are signed' MORE: How Princess Anne earned her nickname as 'hardest working royal' Your free newsletter guide to the best London has on offer, from drinks deals to restaurant reviews.
