‘My husband spent two days on a trolley in overrun A&E – weeks later he died from deadly brain infection’
Tom Frith was suffering flu-like symptoms and confusion when he walked into an “overrun” A&E department, feeling unsteady on his feet and having difficulty speaking.
His wife, Julia, said he was triaged immediately, but the only bed available was in the hallway and he remained there for almost two days as his condition deteriorated.
His family was told that the vital MRI scan could not be performed because it was the weekend. A week later, the fatal diagnosis was finally made brain infectious encephalitis; but until then damage It was done. He died painfully on July 27, 2025, at the age of 66. brain damage from swelling and paralysis caused by the condition.
His story comes amid repeated concerns from leading doctors about the crisis A&Es are facing as a pressurized emergency sections We have run out of beds to treat patients.
Latest NHS UK data published in February showed 192,168 people (13 per cent) waited 12 hours from the time they arrived at A&E in January to be examined, treated or discharged; This is a record number since this data was first published in February 2023.
Mr. Frith had retired a year before his death, but lived an active life; He spent his days on motorcycle holidays with his wife and tending to his vegetable patch.
This all changed on Saturday, June 14, when he felt very unwell and went to Leighton Hospital A&E, run by Mid Cheshire. hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is looking for help.
Ms Frith, from Knutsford, said: Independent Her husband had “all signs of encephalitis”, which affects around 6,000 people in the UK each year and includes flu-like symptoms, loss of consciousness, headaches, memory problems and behavioral changes.
“He was delirious, had flu-like symptoms, had a very high fever, was confused, didn’t know who he was. [paracetamol] tablets.”
Ms Frith said the emergency department was “full” when they visited and claimed staff told her they were expecting 40 people in the Emergency Department that day but there were 120 people.
Tom Frith enjoyed going on motorcycle holidays with his wife (family statement – Leigh day)
He said: “There was no part of it. [A&E] There was no patient inside. There wasn’t a department within these majors or triages that didn’t have a body on a chair, in a bed, or on the floor. The poor staff were infested.”
She said her husband was placed in a hallway, where he watched him “get worse and worse.” He was finally seen by a doctor eight hours later but was not given a hospital bed until Monday morning.
“An 86-year-old man had been there for 33 hours. It was terrible. I was searching for a private hospital to see if I could get him out.”
Mrs Frith recalled: “I left the hospital for an hour on Sunday afternoon… and when I came back my husband was standing next to his bed, he had taken off his identification tape, was putting on his jeans and had wet himself, and I turned to a passing nurse and said: “What is this? This is not caring.”
“I cleaned him up, fixed him up and got a new bracelet. I took him back to his bed in the hallway and there was someone in his bed; they had put someone in his bed. He was there for another 18 hours.”
Although she suspected he was having a stroke, Mrs Frith was told that her husband could not have an MRI to determine whether this was the case because it was the weekend and there were no beds available at a nearby hospital with a specialist neurology service.
Tom Frith in the A&E corridor at Leighton Hospital (family statement – Leigh day)
Tragically, Mr Frith’s condition deteriorated and he was eventually taken to intensive care and put into a coma and placed on a ventilator. It wasn’t until Friday, when he was first admitted to A&E, that the hospital started him on vital medication to treat the encephalitis.
“On Saturday they confirmed it was encephalitis but damage It was done. He had been having outgoing seizures for two weeks,” said Miss Frith.
After several weeks of treatment, Mr Frith said he was informed that there was little chance of his condition improving. He was taken into palliative care and died a few days later on July 27, 2025. Ms Frith now wants to take legal action against the trust.
Tom Frith (family statement – Leigh Day)
Leigh Day solicitor Zoe Donohue, who represented Ms Frith, said:: “Tom’s ordeal leading up to his death was horrific. In giving me instructions, Julia hopes to establish whether more could have been done to help Tom and whether a quicker diagnosis could have given him a stronger chance of survival.
“Julia also hopes to raise awareness of encephalitis, provide greater understanding of the symptoms and how to detect the disease early, and help others avoid the awful situations she experienced.”
Dr Clare Hammell, chief medical officer and deputy chief executive of Mid Cheshire hospitals NHS The Foundation Trust said: “Our thoughts are with Mr Frith’s family and loved ones and we are deeply sorry for their distress.
“As a legal claim has now been made it would be inappropriate for the trust to comment on the specific circumstances of Mr Frith’s care or the allegations made.”
However, the trust said it took any concerns about patient safety extremely seriously and was cooperating with the legal process.
“We continually review what we learn from incidents, complaints and allegations to help us improve care, including ongoing education and training for staff to support the recognition and management of rare but serious conditions.”
