The family of a Shropshire man who died at the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford today claimed he would still be alive if he had received the proper treatment.

Three different doctors, including a former Shropshire medic cleared of involvement in the London and Glasgow car bomb plot, failed to realise Leslie Needle was haemorrhaging internally, an inquest in Telford heard.

Dr Mohammed Asha, an anaesthetist and a registrar all believed 63-year-old Mr Needle was dehydrated and treated him accordingly but he eventually suffered a heart attack.

Divorcee Mr Needle, of Nordley, near Bridgnorth, died on July 18, 2006, of bleeding and peritonitis due to perforated diverticular disease, following a bowel operation hours before.

An inquest jury yesterday returned a narrative verdict after a three-day hearing which said the management and care he received from the medical team in the intermediate care area after his operation was “severely lacking”, particularly with regard to the recording of notes, communication and team work.

It added that had adequate consideration been given to the possibility of internal bleeding Mr Needle could have been taken back to theatre and may not have died.

Mr Needle’s son Jason, of Sunnymeade, Sutton Hill, Telford, said after the inquest that the family was unable to say yet whether it would be taking legal action.

A statement issued on behalf of the family said: “We are very disappointed with the aftercare our dad received at the Princess Royal Hospital. If things were done correctly he would still be here today.

“The only good thing that has come out of this is the hospital has made several recommendations so this should save people’s lives and other families will not have to go through what we have gone through.”

Then house officer Dr Asha, acquitted last year of conspiracy to murder and cause explosions, the anaesthetist involved, Dr Christy Davis, and the registrar, Dr Awais Shuja, no longer work for the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals NHS Trust.

A spokesman for The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust said: “While this inquest did find that opportunities were missed in Mr Needles care, it also acknowledged that the trust did fully investigate the case at the time and that the recommendations following that investigation have nearly all been implemented.

“The final area to be implemented is our new ‘hospital at night’ arrangements which come into place in August.”

By Simon Hardy