An 85-year-old doctor in the United Kingdom has been sentenced to three years in prison for gross negligence manslaughter following the death of a 48-year-old mother of three during a bone marrow biopsy at the Royal Oldham Hospital in Greater Manchester.
Dr Isyaka Mamman, of Royton, admitted the offence following the death of Shahida Parveen during a procedure intended to help doctors investigate a possible medical condition.
The court heard that the procedure turned fatal after Mamman abandoned the conventional approach of taking a bone marrow sample through the hip bone and attempted an alternative method through the sternum, or breastbone, without the patient’s consent.
Mamman reportedly failed to obtain a sample using the initial method before switching to the riskier technique.
During the attempt, he missed the breastbone and punctured the pericardium, the protective membrane surrounding the heart, causing a fatal injury.
The court heard that Parveen’s husband repeatedly pleaded with the doctor to stop as his wife screamed in pain, but the procedure continued.
The case also raised concerns about Mamman’s previous clinical record. Three years before Parveen’s death, he had performed a bone marrow biopsy on a 64-year-old man, leaving the patient permanently disabled.
The court was also informed of an earlier incident that had raised questions about the doctor’s clinical practice.
During sentencing, Mrs Justice Yip criticised the hospital management for failing to take stronger action over concerns about Mamman’s competence.
The judge said Parveen had been “badly let down” and questioned why the hospital trust had allowed the doctor to continue performing procedures without measures to address his competence or provide additional support.
“It is difficult to see why the Trust did not do more, and why you were allowed to continue to work without any measures being taken to address your competence or to support you,” she said.
The judge also questioned why Mamman had not retired following the earlier incidents.
Following the proceedings, hospital management apologised to Parveen’s family and acknowledged the need to learn lessons from the circumstances surrounding her death.
The case has raised concerns about patient safety, clinical oversight and the responsibility of healthcare institutions to respond appropriately when questions arise about a doctor’s competence.
Mamman’s three-year prison sentence followed his admission of gross negligence manslaughter over Parveen’s death.
