Doctor told man, 29, he had tonsillitis… 24 hours later he died,
A father-of-one died just 24 hours after his GP wrongly diagnosed him with tonsillitis and refused to send him to A&E—even though his throat was ‘closing up’.
Michael Reynolds, 29, was initially told to rest after he went to his GP complaining of a sore and swollen throat, and a persistent cough which had lasted for two or three months.
After the appointment, on November 29, 2023, he was sent home with a steroid nasal spray and referred for a chest x-ray.
However, when his symptoms got worse and he was unable to swallow, he was seen by a different doctor the next day after being offered an urgent in-person appointment.
Mr Reynolds told the medic he was unable to eat or swallow, and that his throat was closing up.
He had a high fever and was spitting into a bowl because he was unable to swallow his saliva.
Despite being questioned about whether he needed to attend A&E, the doctor brushed off his concerns, diagnosed him with tonsillitis and prescribed him oral antibiotics.
After collecting his prescription from the pharmacy, Mr Reynolds returned to his home in Boston, Lincolnshire, with his wife Charlotte where he collapsed and had a seizure.
Charlotte called an ambulance and Michael was taken to hospital but died the next morning on December 1.
The HGV driver, who had just become a father to his son Jacob months earlier, was rushed to hospital but he died the next morning.
A post-mortem revealed he had suffered a cardiac arrest triggered by a lack of oxygen due to his throat closing.
An inquest into his death in December 2023 found there had been a ‘missed opportunity’ to send him to A&E for urgent treatment.
His devastated family have now instructed medical negligence solicitors Irwin Mitchell to investigate his care.
An inquest at Lincolnshire Coroner’s Court heard the GP didn’t provide him with ‘robust’ advice to attend A&E.
The coroner concluded Michael died from a hypoxic cardiac arrest related to an upper airway obstruction and epiglottitis—swelling of the flap that covers the windpipe when swallowing.
The coroner found there was a ‘missed opportunity’ adding that had Michael gone to A&E, he may have been transferred to resus earlier.
It was also recognised that staff there would likely be more familiar with symptoms of epiglottitis, which is where the flap of the skin at the back of the throat swells up, blocking the airway.
Mr Reynold’s grieving widow Charlotte, 31, said: ‘Watching Jacob grow up without his daddy by his side is devastating and we miss Michael every single day.
‘Michael meant everything to us and losing him has left a huge hole in our lives that will never go away. We’d do anything to bring him back.
‘The inquest and reliving everything again has been particularly upsetting, but at least I now have some answers as to why Michael’s no longer with us and I will be able to explain this to Jacob when he is old enough to understand.
‘All I can hope for now is that by sharing our story, it can lead to improvements in care for others and more awareness around the signs of epiglottitis and the need for emergency treatment, as it’s something I’d never even heard of before.
‘I wouldn’t want anyone going through what we have.’
The family’s lawyer Rosie Charlton, said: ‘This is a truly tragic case where a young dad has lost his life.
‘Charlotte and the rest of Michael’s family are understandably struggling to come to terms with losing him so suddenly and unexpectedly, and under such circumstances.
‘They’ve also had a number of concerns about the events that unfolded in the lead up to Michael’s death.
‘Worryingly, the inquest has validated those concerns.
‘While we’re pleased to have been able to secure the answers that Michael’s family deserve, it’s now vital that lessons are learned to improve patient safety and help prevent others from suffering in the way Michael did.’
Representatives for Lincolnshire ICB have been approached for comment.
