A minor cut above Ian Phillips' left eye, caused by a wooden toy, led to a severe infection that resulted in the loss of his eye. Phillips is now suing Barwon Health, which operates University Hospital Geelong, claiming medical staff failed to recognize and treat the fast-moving infection known as necrotizing fasciitis, a rare and potentially fatal condition.

The incident occurred during an Easter celebration in 2021 when Phillips' three-year-old son accidentally struck him in the face with a toy clock. Initially, the injury appeared minor. A general practitioner cleaned and glued the wound, and Phillips returned home with only a sore head. However, that night, his face swelled significantly, prompting him to seek further medical attention.

Phillips arrived at University Hospital Geelong on April 6, 2021, where he expressed concerns about his condition. "I told a nurse, 'I feel like I'm dying,'" he recalled. Despite his alarming symptoms, medical staff reportedly dismissed his concerns, stating, "It's not infected, it doesn't present as infection."

As his condition worsened, Phillips received pain management but did not receive antibiotics until 24 hours after his admission. It took several hours before a consultant ophthalmologist considered the possibility of necrotizing fasciitis. Eventually, the plastics team determined that Phillips needed to be transferred to Royal Melbourne Hospital for emergency surgery.

Surgeons operated to remove dead tissue caused by the infection, which had also led to sepsis. Phillips was placed in an induced coma for two weeks. His partner, Jade, described the experience as harrowing, stating, "On that first day, I didn't think he was going to make it."

When Phillips awoke, he learned that he had lost his left eye. "I said, 'I think my eye's gone.' And he said, 'Yeah, that's right,'" he recounted. Surgeons grafted skin over the cavity left by the removed eye, marking the beginning of a long recovery process.

Phillips' legal team argues that if medical staff had acted sooner, the devastating consequences could have been avoided. Lawyer Shari Liby stated, "This has been absolutely devastating to Ian and his family," emphasizing that timely antibiotics could have changed the outcome.

An internal review by Barwon Health acknowledged missed opportunities to suspect infection during Phillips' treatment. The review noted that staff's suspicion of infection was low due to the nature of the original injury and the rarity of necrotizing fasciitis.

Now, Phillips faces challenges in his daily life, including difficulties returning to his job as a motorcycle mechanic due to reduced peripheral vision. "It's very fiddly work that I do, just grinding things in the right angle, and I just remember being frustrated," he said.

Barwon Health has declined to comment on the ongoing legal matter, stating that it is before the courts. Phillips and his family continue to seek justice for the life-altering incident that occurred four years ago.