Meningitis survivor left with open wounds for three years

A man from Kent said his husband has been left suffering with open wounds for almost three years after both feet were amputated following a meningitis infection.

David Ferguson from Whitstable was 53 when he was diagnosed with pneumococcal meningitis in January 2024.

His husband Russell Wilson has accused the NHS of failing to provide a coordinated plan for his care, saying it was "like watching a car crash happen in slow motion ... the longer this goes on, the less chance he's got of recovering".

East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust said it was "committed to providing David with ongoing support".

Following the infection, Ferguson was left with life-changing after-effects.

These included an acquired brain injury, double amputation affecting both feet, epilepsy, profound deafness in one ear, speech difficulties, memory loss, mobility problems, tissue damage and ongoing complex care needs.

Before the infection, Wilson described his husband as a creative whirlwind of energy and kindness.

Since being sent home from hospital in February 2025, the couple said they had faced significant challenges accessing the rehabilitation and support Ferguson needed.

Wilson said Ferguson had lost a lot of his muscle mass .

"The longer this goes on, the less chance he's got of recovering some of the independence that he did have," he said.

"He's put on weight, He's now diabetic. It's like watching a car crash happen in slow motion."

He believes progress has been hindered because the NHS had been unable to heal wounds following his double amputation.

"There are still open wounds from the amputation sites and that has had a knock-on impact on everything really.

"He's in chronic pain now ... any physio that we'd hoped to do has been massively reduced because he can't do any weight bearing," Wilson said.

• Pneumococcal meningitis is a life-threatening infectious disease that causes inflammation of the layers that surround the brain and spinal cord.
• Pneumococcal meningitis and Meningitis B are both dangerous bacterial infections, but they are caused by different types of bacteria, affect different age groups, and are prevented by different vaccines.
• Although most people will make a good recovery, 30% of those who survive pneumococcal meningitis can be left with severe and disabling after-effects.
• There are vaccines available in the UK routine immunisation schedule to help prevent pneumococcal disease.

Tom Nutt, Chief Executive of Meningitis Now, said that once people are discharged from hospital they face the challenge of navigating health and care services.

"Because [meningitis] is a relatively rare disease, not all clinicians, not all health and care professionals are aware of just quite how extensive that impact is on people's lives.

"So actually, by being able to give them the information they need, hopefully then they can work together with people such as David and Russell to get the care and support they need."

Nutt said the UK has a world leading vaccination programme and that "vaccination is really the only way to prevent a disease such as meningitis and the impact and the devastation it causes".

In a statement, East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust said: "We are sorry to hear of the concerns raised by David's husband regarding his care, and we recognise the significant and lasting impact meningitis can have on people and their families.

"We remain committed to providing David with ongoing support, while working with him and Russell to understand and address their concerns."

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