A DAD died from a catastrophic infection days after suffering a tiny cut between two toes.
Christopher Bradbury, pictured above, sustained a seemingly innocuous injury to his right foot in a fall at home, an inquest heard.
However, the 63-year-old became so ill he was taken to hospital and diagnosed with an invasive soft tissue infection.
The infections are thought to be aggressive and spread rapidly.
And despite an emergency amputation, the dad of three and grandad died in January last year.
Now, his case has prompted a warning from the coroner over a lack of awareness of the infections, which can lead to multiple organ failure.
Emma Serrano said Mr Bradbury, of Stoke, might have had an earlier MRI scan and treatment.
In a prevention of future deaths report, she said: “It was accepted in evidence that there is a lack of national guidelines.”
The inquest heard training is being delivered on the subject but ‘is not making significant inroads’ and ‘has not been effective at all’.
“It is thought that this will happen again”, Ms Serrano’s report said.
Ms Serrano said the NHS must improve its lack of knowledge on Invasive Soft Tissue Infections and improve training.
NHS England and Royal Stoke University Hospital have until April 29 of this year to respond.
