Good Morning Britain host Susanna Reid was left fuming during an emotional interview on the ITV programme, admitting she felt 'disgusted' by the treatment of a university student who died in agony.
The Heartbreaking Story of Libby Instone
Libby Instone, a 20-year-old from Billingham, Teesside, had been vomiting for several days before she collapsed and died in August 2023. She visited an urgent care centre three times in 24 hours but was misdiagnosed with gastroenteritis and repeatedly sent home. An inquest at Teesside Coroner's Court concluded that neglect contributed to her death, caused by an infarction of her small intestine.
The inquest heard that Libby was made to feel like a 'time-waster' by medics. During Monday's (June 8) edition of Good Morning Britain, Susanna and co-presenter Ed Balls were joined by Libby's boyfriend, Theo Corbett, who was with her the day before she died.
Susanna's Reaction
Susanna said: 'What is completely shocking about this story is that she was seen repeatedly... I think about five times, she had gone into urgent care at a hospital. Neglect contributed to her death. The coroner said there have been missed opportunities to investigate and provide lifesaving treatment. And her own mother said her daughter was made to feel like a time-waster and said staff were watching a women's World Cup penalty shootout while the family were trying to get help.'
Visibly emotional, Theo explained: 'I was there for the final three and a half hours before Libby was in hospital before she was discharged and she wasn't examined, she wasn't attended to. She was due further pain medication, which she asked for and didn't receive. I sat by the bed with her whilst all of this was going on until it got to the point where we were told, 'Yeah, you're discharged. You can go home.''
Susanna argued the way Libby was treated was 'disgusting' as she fumed: 'The fact that it seems that the calls for pain relief were not answered and that Libby and her family were treated as 'time-wasters'. I mean, that makes you feel sick because everybody understands A&E is under pressure but to be treated as a 'time-waster' when in fact you are dying is disgusting.'
In a deeply moving moment, Theo added: 'I feel like we were trying to raise concerns that we had and tried to press as much as we could and how worried we were about Libby's health but no matter how much we pushed, no matter how much we pressed, it just felt like we couldn't get anywhere.'
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV1 and ITVX.
