Home / Health / Hospital Hygiene Blamed for Young Student's Death
Hospital Hygiene Blamed for Young Student's Death
18 Mar
Summary
- Young student died from sepsis likely caused by poor hospital hygiene.
- Infection spread through cross-contamination on the ward.
- Hospital acknowledges lapses in infection control measures.
A bright young university student, Joshua Abbott-Littler, tragically died from sepsis at The Christie hospital in June 2025, with a coroner concluding that poor hand hygiene and cross-contamination on the ward were likely causes. Joshua, from Wigan, was battling a rare, aggressive form of acute myeloid leukaemia, a treatment-induced cancer.
He had previously been treated for Hodgkin lymphoma and had received an 'all clear' in May 2025. However, he was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia on June 8, 2025, and admitted to The Christie. His condition rapidly deteriorated, leading to multiple organ failure.
The inquest heard that the specific strain of bacteria causing his fatal infection was traced to another patient on the ward, indicating a failure in infection control measures. The hospital trust has since acknowledged lapses and stated that further improvements to infection prevention practices have been implemented.
Coroner Andrew Bridgman described the circumstances as devastating for Joshua's family, highlighting that inadequate adherence to antiseptic techniques ultimately led to his death. The Christie NHS Foundation Trust expressed sincere condolences and emphasized patient safety as their highest priority.
