Support Hub
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The wellbeing of people participating in the work of the Inquiry is extremely important to the Chair and the Inquiry team.
The Eljamel Inquiry recognises that for many individuals, their own experiences and the journey to the Inquiry coming into being have been traumatic.
We know that this includes former patients of Mr Eljamel and their family members. It may also include others who were affected and who may continue to be affected by the matters being investigated by the Inquiry, including those who may be asked to provide evidence to the Inquiry.
To limit the risk of further trauma, the Inquiry is committed to conducting its work in a way which is trauma-informed.
This page explains what kinds of support the Inquiry can provide to those involved in its work.
It sets out and links to support which can be provided to those who have suffered trauma and to anyone else who requires assistance with their interactions with the Inquiry.
Further detailed information about the support services which can be provided in connection with the work of the Inquiry can be found on the following pages:
Contacting the Inquiry for Support
The Inquiry team is available to assist those who are engaged with our work, either by providing the required support themselves or linking to other available services.
If you would like to get in touch with the Inquiry team about support, you can contact the Inquiry via email or telephone, as follows:
Email - enquiries@eljamelinquiry.scot
Phone* – 0808 196 1508
*Please note, this is an answerphone service. Please leave a message with your name and phone number and a member of the team will call you back as soon as we can. The service is monitored Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm
About Support the Inquiry Team Can Provide
The Inquiry has a duty to act in the public interest. As part of that duty, it offers some services to assist members of the public. This includes core participants or witnesses who may require help or support with their interactions with the Inquiry.
Many different people will be involved in the Inquiry's work, for different reasons.
Whatever your role, the Inquiry will provide support, primarily to help you understand and navigate the Inquiry’s work. This could include helping you to access other forms of support where that may be more appropriate for you.
Inquiry support will be provided by trained members of the Inquiry team. They will provide support in accordance with the Inquiry’s principles.
The Inquiry can:
- help you understand our plans, including the Inquiry's sectional approach to gathering and examining evidence
- help you to understand our processes, including our Protocols. These cover important matters such as what it means to be a core participant and how funding in the Inquiry works
- help you understand the Inquiry's Terms of Reference and provisional List of Issues; what the Inquiry seeks to achieve; how it seeks to achieve it and why those methods have been chosen
- explain to you who does what in the Inquiry and who might be best placed to help you
- help you to register for and attend Inquiry hearings, access hearings online, or provide assistance in accessing Inquiry-related materials. This could be material which is already accessible to the wider public via our website, or as part of material disclosed to the Inquiry's core participants
- explain to you what engagement with the Inquiry will be like, including how the hearings suite is laid out or what giving oral evidence will involve
- explain to you what provisions exist to respect confidentiality or anonymity
- assist with applications for expenses associated with the work of the Inquiry. For example, expenses related to attending hearings in the public gallery or to come to give evidence at an oral hearing
- provide regular updates on the progress of the Inquiry
- updated the Inquiry's website with videos or other materials to help explain what we do
- provide certain legal support
- help you to access other support services, such as emotional support
The team includes staff members who have joined the Inquiry from the charitable sector, following extensive experience of dealing with those who have experienced trauma.
All Inquiry staff receive trauma-informed training. All are willing to help, no matter what the nature of your interaction with the Inquiry.
Other Support
The Chair of the Inquiry has appointed a charity called The Spark to provide emotional support when our hearings are taking place.
The Spark will also provide participant support. This is an additional emotional support service which can be made available when it is needed. Full details about these emotional and participant support services and how to access them can be found on this page.
If you feel the support from The Spark is not right for you but you are still interested in seeking emotional support elsewhere, you can visit our support signposting page. This page provides information about other support organisations which may be more suitable for you, including how to access them.
Individuals who are taking part in the Independent Clinical Review (ICR) can access support services provided via the Association of Clinical Psychologists UK (ACP-UK) and the Patient Advice and Support Service Scotland (PASS). You can find out more details about what is available from these services on this page.
The Inquiry has also created a page setting out the legal support which is provided by the Inquiry and which can be made available to witnesses or other participants in the Inquiry.