London hospital chair: 'Colleagues saved my life when I got flesh-eating bug'

“Life goes on”: Whittington Health chairman Steve Hitchins, 64, is a former leader of Islington borough council
Kiran Randhawa26 January 2016

The chairman of a London hospital today told of how his colleagues saved his life after he was struck by a flesh-eating bug.

Steve Hitchins had to have his left leg amputated after he contracted a deadly bacterial infection known as necrotising fasciitis.

The 64-year-old, who works at Whittington Hospital in Archway, was taken to the A&E department where doctors managed to save his life but were unable to save his leg.

Mr Hitchins said he is unable to recall much of what happened — including eight operations.

“I recall saying to my wife one night that I wasn’t feeling very well and that I was going to lie down for a bit,” he said. “I woke up 12 days later in intensive care. I was apparently conscious for much of the time but I don’t remember anything.”

Mr Hitchins spent 49 days in hospital, much of it in intensive care, after he was admitted on October 3 last year. He added: “I’m very lucky to be alive and while I’ve lost my leg, life goes on. I’m determined to carry on as normal. The doctors tell me my recovery is remarkable, but so was their care.”

The former leader of Islington council, who is married to the Lib-Dem Baroness Sarah Ludford, suffers from Type 1 diabetes which means he is more susceptible to infection.

However, there is no direct link between the condition and necrotising fasciitis.

According to the NHS, there are around 500 cases of the infection each year in the UK. Early symptoms include severe pain that progresses into a fever, followed by limb swelling, diarrhoea and vomiting.

Large blisters appear before the body suffers a severe fall in blood pressure caused by poisons released by the bacteria. The flesh is then consumed by the bug. There is no vaccine and one in three victims die before doctors can suppress the disease with antibiotics.

Mr Hitchins has been using a wheelchair and is learning to walk again at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in Stanmore.

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