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Recently was involved in a head on collision caused by another car's entire wheel coming off their vehicle. The car that's wheel came off had minimal damage and the driver un harmed, where as myself and the other driver of car that hit me have both had our cars written off and had to be taken to hospital. Police have not charged anyone for this accident.
My question is - if as a driver we are responsible for ensuring the vehicle is of road worthiness (WOF, Registration etc), how can the driver that's wheel came off not be charged? At the very least it should be careless use of a vehicle? As a result of no charge the driver that caused the accident doesn't even have to pay for the vehicles damaged - is this actually legal?

Without knowing all the circumstances, it's not clear why the driver of the offending vehicle was not charged. Under such circumstances, the Police will investigate an accident and determine who is at fault and lay charges accordingly. Perhaps it was deemed that the wheel came off due to a mechanical defect or because someone had tampered with the vehicle, unbeknown to the driver.
Regardless of any charges, it would still seem that the driver of the offending vehicle should be responsible for the costs or any losses, as is the case with a majority of more minor accidents (ie; nobody is charged but one driver is at fault).
You don't say if any of the parties involved are insured, but when insurance is involved usually insurance companies argue these cases out among themselves and the insurer covering the driver who is at fault will end up paying.
If there is no insurance company involvement and the driver of the offending vehicle is refusing to pay, the only course of action is through the courts. Depending on the amounts involved, it may be something that can be heard through the Disputes Tribunal.