A man being treated for cancer died in hospital in part because medics failed to give him the correct medication, a coroner has ruled.

Father-of-two Kwong Cheng, known as Donald, was undergoing chemotherapy when he suffered acute liver failure and multiple organ failure in July 2016. Doctors failed to give him anti-viral prophylaxis medication he needed to keep his Hepatitis B under control.

Assistant coroner Sarah Ormond-Walshe concluded at West London Coroner’s Court last month, (July), that on the balance of probabilities the father of two’s death would have been avoided if the appropriate treatment had been provided.

The 58-year-old needed the treatment to protect his body from the condition while he was being treated for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, which he was diagnosed with in 2011.

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is an uncommon cancer that develops in part of the immune system.

A pharmacist at the hospital had informed Mr Cheng’s consultant in October 2015 that he had tested positive for Hepatitis B. He began six cycles of chemotherapy that month.

But eight months later, on June 14, he was admitted to A&E with tests showing the Heptatitis B had been reactivated. He died in hospital on July 10.

Kingston Hospital NHS Trust has now developed an alert system to prevent this happening in the future. An alert flashes up on a screen to remind medical staff to check the patient’s test results to ensure the right medication is prescribed for patients who need it.

Anthony, Mr Cheng’s son, said: “Our family miss my dad so much and we’re all really still struggling to come to terms with his loss.

“We felt there were so many opportunities to ensure he received the right treatment but each was missed. It’s too late for my dad but we hope by highlighting this tragedy other lives will be saved.”

A spokesperson for Irwin Mitchell, who are representing the family in the lawsuit, said legal action is ongoing.

A spokesperson for Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said: “We deeply regret the outcome of Mr Cheng’s treatment and offer our sincerest apologies to his family.

"The Trust has since put measures in place whereby staff prescribing medication will be alerted to check the patient’s virology or serology results first, to ensure anti-viral medication is always prescribed to patients who require it.”