The family of a Birmingham man who died following surgery after staff failed to notice his deteriorating condition is expected to receive £950,000 compensation today.

Imtiaz Shah died from septic shock at Birmingham's City Hospital after a routine bowel operation in January 2001.

An inquest into his death heard how the 35-year-old father-of-three was coughing blood but, despite pleas from members of his family, nursing and medical staff did nothing.

In July 2002, Birmingham Coroner Aiden Cotter recorded a verdict of neglect and called on the hospital to carry out an independent inquiry.

The settlement, which is due to be approved at the High Court in Birmingham later today, follows Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospital NHS Trust's admission of liability in November 2002.

Mr Shah, a pharmacist of Pool Meadow Close, Moseley, had a long history of Crohn's disease and was admitted to City Hospital on January 9, 2001 for a bowel resection.

Initially he made a good recovery but, three days after surgery, his condition deteriorated.

He complained of unbearable abdominal pain, nausea, chest pain and dehydration and had become delirious by that evening.

His family contacted their own GP and it was his intervention that finally led to the hospital taking action.

A second operation found Mr Shah's bowel had not been properly closed but by this stage irreparable damage had already been done.

Mr Shah was treated with antibiotics but his condition was so advanced he did not respond to treatment and he died on January 23.

After the inquest, Mr Shah's father Irshad-Ul-Hassan Shah said he was devastated by his son's death, describing him as the "star of the family".

"Every time something happened we told the nurses and doctors and they kept reassuring us

and telling us not to worry," he said. The family's solicitor, Sara Burns of Birmingham-based law firm Irwin Mitchell, said: "Mr Shah was failed by both the medical and nursing staff, who took almost four days to intervene, even though he was clearly in the most appalling distress.

"The fact the coroner returned a rare verdict of neglect, in itself speaks for the seriousness of this case.

"Today's financial settlement takes account of the fact Mr Shah had a successful, well-paid career as a pharmacist ahead of him and will help provide for his dependants including his wife, three children and elderly parents."

Last night, a spokesman for the trust, said: "Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust can confirm a settlement of this claim, agreeable to both parties, is to be approved by the court on March 22.

"We have apologised unreservedly to Mrs Shah and her family for the care her husband received during his treatment.

"We would like to assure her that lessons have been learnt by the trust and new procedures put in place to try and ensure that a similar incident never happens again," he added.