NHS boss tells Eljamel inquiry: 'I won't resign over destroyed logbooks'

ByGraeme Ogston

Tayside and Central reporter

The chief executive of NHS Tayside has personally apologised for the destruction of theatre logbooks, potentially related to disgraced surgeon Sam Eljamel, but said she had no intention of resigning.

Eljamel, who is believed to have harmed hundreds of patients, was a consultant neurosurgeon at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee from 1995 until his suspension in December 2013.

The Eljamel public inquiry, external previously heard that 40 theatre logbooks were destroyed in July 2025 despite an order not to do so.

Nicky Connor told the inquiry that she accepted the failing had "compounded and exacerbated distress" for patients."

Connor added: "I have met directly with patients and they have explained to me directly the impact of trauma, including the most-recent logbook incident.

"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."

The theatre logbooks, which included included the years 1995 to 2013, were destroyed despite a do not destroy (DND) notice having been in place since October 2024.

A subsequent independent report, external into the incident said the blunder was the result of "inadequate systems and processes" rather than deliberate wrongdoing.

Following his suspension, Eljamel resigned in 2014 and is now believed to be operating in Libya.

Connor, who has been NHS Tayside's chief executive since July 2024, appeared on the second day of the public inquiry's first public evidence sessions.

Quoting a written submission by the health board, the inquiry's senior counsel Jamie Dawson KC said it was understood that much of the information in the destroyed theatre logbooks was also "normally contained in operation notes within patient records."

He said: "In the particular circumstances of the Eljamel patients, many of them have been told by NHS Tayside that some or all of their medical records, including operation notes, no longer exist.

"So whether it might "normally" be the case isn't really relevant is it?"

Connor replied: "No, I absolutely accept that for patients some information here will have been lost and that is not acceptable."

Dawson added that the issue "might go further than that".

He said: "It might in fact be the case that parts of these logbooks would have been crucial in ascertaining information about the nature and the circumstances of their operations, which for many of them, is precisely the reason why they're here."

Connor agreed.

Dawson said various groups of patients had called on Connor to resign over the destruction of the logbooks.

But the chief executive replied: "My position on that is that I am not intending to resign as a result of this."

Connor added that she "absolutely accepted the accountability" for the incident.

She said: "I was not responsible for the individual actions that took place, nor was I directly involved in the destruction of the log books.

"But that does not negate the responsibility that I hold and discharged through my team, to ensure that the logbooks and other records are kept safe."

Connor also denied any suggestion that NHS Tayside "involved itself in cover-ups."

She said: "I believe we've been completely transparent in relation to both the purpose of the investigation - which was taking the concerns that these logbooks have been destroyed extremely seriously - and making sure that we were openly and fully sharing this.

"That's why it was put on our public website."

Connor added that she was "personally sorry" over the missing logbooks.

The inquiry, taking place in Edinburgh before Lord Weir, continues.