Daily Record   1 JUNE 2015  BY CHARLIE GALL
PROFESSOR Zygmunt Krukowski blew the whistle on the way Aberdeen Royal Infirmary was being run and it is claimed NHS Grampian are taking ‘revenge’.

The Queen’s personal surgeon has been suspended from his duties at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.  The Queen’s personal surgeon (right) has been suspended from his duties at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary

THE Queen’s personal surgeon in Scotland has been suspended from operating after a probe into whistleblowing.

It is claimed NHS Grampian bosses took “revenge” on Professor Zygmunt Krukowski for blowing the whistle on the way Aberdeen Royal Infirmary was being run.

Krukowski heads the team on standby to care for members of the Royal Family if they require treatment while staying at Balmoral on Deeside.

The professor is understood to have highlighted serious concerns over health care in the region.

A second surgeon, Wendy Craig, who works in the same surgery department, has also been suspended for raising concerns following dignity at work reviews.

It’s understood the pair were seen as troublemakers by bosses and there is no medical reason for their suspensions.

A source said the pair had been left “devastated and angry” and felt they had been “professionally destroyed” for raising concerns.

Reuters/Russell CheyneProfessor Zygmunt Krukowski is the Queen’s personal surgeon.
They were said to feel the time had come for “a judge-led” inquiry into the management of NHS Grampian.

Yesterday, an NHS Grampian spokeswoman said: “It is our practice not to discuss
individual members of staff.

“NHS Grampian recognises that, in the main, employees do their best to achieve high standards of conduct and do not attend work with the intention of behaving inappropriately whether that is to other individuals or in the conduct of their role.

“It is inevitable, however, that some employees may, on occasions, fail to meet
acceptable standards.

“There are robust policies in place to promote the resolution of such difficulties in a supportive, fair, consistent and proactive way.”

It emerged that some operations, including cancer surgery, had been postponed because of the suspensions.

Aberdeen Royal InfirmaryAberdeen Royal Infirmary
The spokeswoman added: “We would like to apologise to any patients affected

“We have been and will continue to be in contact with affected patients.”

NHS Grampian hit the headlines last year when three separate inquiries were launched into Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and Woodend Hospital.

The situation, raised at the top of the Scottish Government and in parliament, led to the departure of board chairman Bill Howatson and chief executive Richard Carey.

A review by the Royal College of Surgeons of England found “very serious allegations” about the “behaviour, competence and probity” of medical staff in general surgery at ARI and called for fundamental reforms to the department.

A second review by Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS), which was ordered by the government, also lamented the conduct in general surgery and its impact on patient care.