An online petition has been launched with the aim of reinstating the Queen’s personal surgeon at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary following his suspension last month.
The petition, which already has 816 signatures, calls on the NHS Grampian board to stop the “unfair” suspension of Professor Zygmunt Krukowsi, who is responsible for the Royal Family’s healthcare when they are admitted for treatment while staying at Balmoral Castle.
It also calls for the reinstatement of Dr Wendy Craig.
The pair, who work in the same department, were both suspended for raising concerns following dignity at work reviews at ARI.
The dignity at work system is a way for employees to voice concerns about bullying in the workplace, an issue that was previously highlighted in a Healthcare Improvement Scotland review of the hospital last year.
The review also highlighted issues with the forceful style of management at the hospital, as well as low morale.
Professor Zygmunt, a keyhole surgeon who has been operating at NHS Grampian for a number of years, is reported to have been suspended because he and Dr Craig were seen as troublemakers by bosses at the hospital.
Last year 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 the Forresterhill hospital, and called for fundamental reforms at the department.
The petition, which has so far been shared more than 1,000 times on social media, aims to reach 1,000 by the end of July.