NHS Tayside boss apologises over destroyed Eljamel logbooks but refuses to resign
The chief executive of NHS Tayside has apologised for destroying surgery logbooks linked to disgraced brain surgeon Sam Eljamel, but refused to resign.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
The public inquiry into disgraced brain surgeon Sam Eljamel has heard that NHS Tayside destroyed 40 theatre logbooks linked to his operations, despite being ordered not to. The health board's chief executive, Nicky Connor, apologised for the destruction but refused to resign.
Eljamel was a consultant neurosurgeon at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee for nearly 20 years until he was suspended in 2013. He is thought to have harmed up to 200 patients, leaving some with life-changing injuries. The logbooks, destroyed last year as part of a health record strategy, could have contained vital information about which surgeon carried out which operation.
Ms Connor, who took up her post in 2024, told the inquiry that the health board had only been able to estimate the number of destroyed logbooks by counting waste bags. She accepted that the destruction had compounded and exacerbated distress for patients, and said she was deeply sorry. But she maintained she would not resign because she was not directly involved.
Outside the inquiry, ex-patients expressed anger. Faye Pilwa, one of Eljamel's victims, said he had ruined her life. She had gone for surgery on a trapped nerve but endured seven operations by him, leaving her in pain and reliant on a wheelchair. Another patient said: "Excuses, we got excuses today."
The inquiry is in its first of six phases. Campaigners described the evidence as a car crash, and patients said they were furious that NHS Tayside still could not give them answers under oath.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Channel 5 | ITV |
|---|---|---|
| Chief executive Nicky Connor apologised and accepted accountability for the destruction. | ||
| NHS Tayside destroyed 40 theatre logbooks last year despite being ordered not to. | ||
| Eljamel is believed to be working in Libya. | · | |
| Eljamel was suspended in December 2013 and is now thought to be working in Libya. | · | |
| Eljamel was suspended in December 2013. | · | |
| Nicky Connor will not resign because she was not involved in the destruction. | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
ITV1 focused on the accountability of NHS Tayside's leadership, reporting live from the inquiry. It highlighted the chief executive's apology and her refusal to resign, and stressed the impact of the destroyed logbooks on patients' ability to get answers. The tone was factual but critical of the health board's handling.
- “40 theatre logbooks that potentially related to Eljemel surgeries were destroyed by the health board last year. That's despite them being ordered not to do so”
- “Miss Connor took accountability and apologised.”
- “I have met directly with patients and they have explained to me directly the impact of trauma, including the most recent logbook incident and there is no doubt in my mind that that has eroded trust and had a significant impact on patients, for which I'm deeply sorry.”
5 News gave the story a human face, leading with the testimony of a harmed patient, Faye Pilwa, and capturing the anger of ex-patients outside the inquiry. It emphasised the emotional toll and the sense of betrayal, while also reporting the apology and the destruction of the logbooks.
- “I'm Faye Pilwa and I'm one of Mr Sam Eljamel's harmed patients.”
- “Excuses, we got excuses today.”
- “This is what our safety our patient safety amounts to.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.