article_snippet.sent: Before Sir David left NHS Sir David spoke of Sir David 'bitter regret' over not speaking to affected patients and their families during the Mid-Staffordshire Hospital Trust scandal, where 1,200 died, but Sir David refused to quit.
article_snippet.sent: Sir David Nicholson was also accused of overseeing a culture of fear within the NHS where hospitals fiddle hospitals figures and whistleblowers are prevented from speaking out.
article_snippet.sent: Sir David was one of the most criticised civil servants of recent times when Sir David was the £211,000-a-year head of NHS England.
article_snippet.sent: In that period Sir David defied calls to resign from MPs and campaigners over Sir David role in the Mid Staffordshire Hospital scandal, where hundreds died through neglect.
article_snippet.sent: Sir David was accused of not taking action while in charge of the regional health body overseeing the trust, and later when appointed NHS chief executive in 2006.
article_snippet.sent: In fact at the height of the Mid-Staffordshire Hospital Trust scandal, in October 2005, Sir David toured the hospital wards and wrote a glowing letter to managers praising the hospital wards for hitting targets.
article_snippet.sent: But Sir David has repeatedly insisted that at the time Sir David had 'no idea' of the Mid-Staffordshire Hospital Trust scandal and maintained that the failings were 'system wide'.
article_snippet.sent: Sir David came under further pressure when it emerged Sir David had ignored the concerns of two whistleblowers about another trust, University Hospitals Lincoln, where 670 patients may have died needlessly.
highlights_snippet.sent: 1,200 died because of poor care in Stafford while Sir David ran regional body .