Dr Farooq Arshad’s wife must now raise their three children alone, and it might take her up to two years to qualify for medical work in the UK
06:00, 14 May 2026Updated 12:12, 14 May 2026
Dr Farooq Arshad will be fondly remembered by all those who knew him(Image: Family handout)
Colleagues of a well-respected doctor at Royal Derby Hospital have remembered the “generous family man” following his sudden death over the weekend.
Dr Farooq Arshad, 40, died suddenly after a cardiac arrest at his home in Littleover on Sunday (May 10), leaving behind his wife, Farhat Fatima, their three children, and countless grieving friends and colleagues.
A devoted Muslim, he moved to the UK from his native Pakistan following the pandemic, initially working in the South before moving to Derby once restrictions began to ease.
There, he met fellow anaesthetists Dr Anser Ali and Dr Mubeen Salik.
Anser knew Dr Arshad through mutual friends and colleagues from their time at medical college back in Pakistan, whereas Mubeen had been a close friend since 2014.
Describing the first time he met Dr Arshad, Anser said: “We met up for dinner with some friends, and I remember instantly thinking, ‘This guy is so innocent and nice’.
“I had rarely encountered someone like it. He wouldn’t hide anything, but he was incredibly kind.
“His daughter had just been born, and I remember going to see her and his family, and thinking how lovely all of them were.
“We’ve pretty much been best friends ever since. Every night after work, we’d go for dinner and walk around the area for an hour or so – we saw each other every day.”
Their wives and children were best friends and they often had meals and family gatherings together, but the recent tragedy has left his widow Farhat with an uphill battle.
She still needs to put food on the table for her three children, one of whom is non-verbal and autistic, and despite having a medical background from her time in Pakistan, it could take her up to two years to become qualified in the UK.
Anser set up a fundraiser to provide financial support for the family, which has raised more than £72,000 in just days from more than 700 people.
“During this extremely difficult time, we are coming together to support him and his family in any way we can,” Anser said.
“[He] was incredibly respected in his field and by everyone who knew him at the hospital.
“He was generous, kind, and I never heard anyone say a bad word about him.
“A lot of us are struggling to come to terms with what has happened and we’re trying to do our best to help the family. I took his daughter to the park yesterday, where she used to go with her dad, and it cheered her up, but it’s going to be so difficult.
“On Friday night, I was with him for dinner, and he was meant to come along with a group of us to protest in London on Saturday, but he had to cancel the trip to look after his family.
“Even when we were driving home that night, he called and asked if we’d got home safe and asked us all how it went. He really cared about his friends. He was always happy to talk.”
Dr Arshad will be fondly remembered as a loving father to his three children, Maryam, 10, Zara, seven, and Hafsa, who is nearly four.
He also had three siblings and is survived by his parents in Pakistan, and was a dear friend to Anser, Munazza, Mubeen, Faiza, Adeel and Saud, who were “like family” to him.
Among his colleagues at Royal Derby Hospital, he was known as a “lovely person” who was “always smiling”.
Anser said the whole anaesthesia, surgery and operation theatre department is “in shock” to hear the news of Dr Arshad’s passing, particularly his close colleagues Alison Brewer, Tim Wood, Zahid Sheikh and Gauri Sankhee.
Dr Gis Robinson, executive chief medical officer at Royal Derby Hospital, joined colleagues in paying tribute.
On behalf of University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust, she said: “We are deeply saddened by the loss of Dr Farooq, a much-valued colleague and friend to so many across our teams at Royal Derby Hospital.
“Farooq was a dedicated clinician and a kind, compassionate person who cared deeply for his patients and supported those around him.
“His warmth and generosity will be remembered by colleagues and patients alike, and he will be greatly missed by everyone who had the privilege of working with him.
“Our thoughts are very much with his loved ones and friends at this incredibly difficult time.”
