Doctor 'was warned on fatal jab'

Patricia Leighton, 51, died in July 1998 at the hospital

A patient died after a hospital registrar injected her with adrenaline despite being warned not to by three colleagues, a court has heard.

Patricia Leighton, 51, had been taken into Staffordshire District General Hospital suffering from septic shock when she died there in July 1998.

Dr Priya Ramnath, 40, denies the manslaughter of Mrs Leighton by gross negligence.

Birmingham Crown Court heard Dr Ramnath returned from the US to face trial.

The court heard how Dr Ramnath also failed to speak to a consultant anaesthetist before injecting Mrs Leighton, of Burntwood, near Cannock, Staffordshire, with the drug.

Michael Burrows, prosecuting, said Dr Ramnath went "against the express instructions and advice from her colleagues there".

He added that the effects of adrenaline were "unpredictable and can be fatal".

'Going to die'

Mr Burrows said: "Within moments of the injection Mrs Leighton jerked forward and sat bolt upright in her bed.

"She shouted out, 'What's happening to me? I am going to die'."

The court was told the patient then lost consciousness and her heart stopped.

Dr Ramnath and other colleagues tried to resuscitate Mrs Leighton but failed.

The jury was told that Mrs Leighton had suffered from arthritis and had been admitted to hospital in Cannock on 20 July after a wound on a bunion on her foot became infected.

She suffered side-effects to antibiotics and was transferred to the intensive care unit in Stafford with septic shock.

Mr Burrows told the hearing that Dr Ramnath, who had been on a nine-week placement at the hospital, was told by two other doctors and a sister not to give the injection.

The court was told that Dr Ramnath had given the adrenaline thinking it was necessary to prevent the patient going into cardiac arrest.

The trial continues.