NHS boss Sir David Nicholson again refuses to quit in Stafford Hospital scandal

Sir David – the £211,000-a-year chief executive of the English NHS – today said he was not made aware of soaring death rates at the hospital, where up to 1,200 patients are feared to have died needlessly between 2005 and 2009.

And, giving evidence to the Health Select Committee at the House of Commons, Sir David said he was ‘absolutely determined’ to lead the NHS through the coming health reforms despite calls for him to resign.

Sir David was in charge of the regional health body supervising the Stafford Hospital trust, and later head of the Department of Health, over the four-year period concerned.

But while relatives of victims called for his head, Sir David insisted he was ‘not ashamed’ of his tenure.

He said the NHS was currently at ‘maximum risk’ as controversial changes are implemented throughout the country.

The NHS chief executive said he would stay in his role to see the reforms through.