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UK Regulator's 8-Year Silence on Rogue Surgeon
17 Sep
Summary
- Regulator withheld information on surgeon for eight years.
- Surgeon eluded investigation by voluntarily leaving the register.
- GMC errors led to incorrect notifications to Saudi Arabia.
For eight years, the UK's medical regulator did not inform Libyan authorities about a rogue NHS Tayside surgeon who is now practicing in Libya. Sam Eljamel, believed to have harmed hundreds of patients, was suspended by NHS Tayside in 2013.
In 2015, Eljamel voluntarily removed himself from the General Medical Council (GMC) register, thereby avoiding a disciplinary investigation that could have led to his erasure. The inquiry heard that the GMC mistakenly informed Saudi Arabian authorities twice about the situation, an error that was not discovered until 2023.
Removal from the GMC register meant Eljamel could no longer practice in the UK. He was granted voluntary erasure partly due to his stated intention to retire and personal family issues, including the death of his son.
