Hospital executive urged to resign

Wayne Jowett's family want the hospital to "take responsibility"

A top UK hospital has rejected calls for the resignation of its chief executive following the death of a cancer patient.

Wayne Jowett, 18, died at the Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham in 2001 after the drug vincristine was wrongly injected into his spine instead of his vein.

Dr Feda Mulhem of Leicester was sentenced to eight months in prison after he pleaded guilty to Mr Jowett's manslaughter at a trial in Nottingham.

Wayne's father - also named Wayne Jowett - called for the resignation of the hospital's chief executive at a press conference on Tuesday, saying the hospital should be "brought to account" for their son's death.

Special syringe

The teenager died a month after the injection when he suffered heart failure.

But Ted Cantle, chairman of the hospital's NHS trust, rejected the family's call for the resignation of the hospital's chief executive John A MacDonald.

The QMC ... has shared information in an effort to improve systems and prevent something similar from happening again Hospital statement

"We have tried to do everything to make sure this incident was properly investigated," Mr Cantle said.

The Jowett family lawyer, Paul Balen, said at the news conference: "If the captain of a ship causes it to run aground, one would expect the captain to take some responsibility."

"No-one apart from Dr Mulhem has accepted responsibility personally for any of the 40-odd shortcomings on that day."

The hospital earlier admitted liability for the error and a "substantial" settlement was reached with Mr Jowett's family.

A hospital spokeswoman said after Dr Mulhem's sentencing: "The outcome today appeared to mark the end of a long and difficult process for all those involved and especially Wayne's parents - we extend our sympathies to them.

"The QMC is committed to learning lessons following the incident and has worked with the Department of Health and shared information in an effort to improve systems and prevent something similar from happening again."