The boyfriend of a young law student has described how she was made to feel like a "time waster" before her tragic and agonising death. Libby Instone, 20, had been vomiting for days before she collapsed and died in August 2023. During three visits to an urgent care centre in just over 24 hours, she was told she had gastroenteritis.
Inquest Findings
Last week, an inquest heard that neglect contributed to her death. She died as a result of an infarction of her small intestine. Her boyfriend, Theo Corbett, appeared on ITV's Good Morning Britain, where he told hosts Susanna Reid and Ed Balls about his final hours with Libby.
Theo, who had been with her the day before she died, said: "Me and Libby had been to London beforehand... I spoke to Libby on the evening she got home - on Facetime - she was fine. Then I spoke to her the next day and I could see that she was writhing around in pain on her bed. She was pointing to her stomach. I could see straight away she wasn't right and it was a stark difference from how she was and then she rapidly deteriorated and it resulted in her hospital attendances."
Final Moments in Hospital
He added: "I was there for the final three and a half hours that Libby was in hospital before she was discharged. Whilst I was there, she wasn't examined, she wasn't attended to, she was due further pain medication, which she had asked for, which she didn't receive. I was sat by the bed with her whilst all this was going on until it got to the point we were told 'you are discharged, you can go home now'."
Susanna Reid said: "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."
Dr Sara Kayat, who appeared alongside Theo on the GMB sofa, responded: "It's horrific and it should never have happened. And that is what is so tragic about this. This is a case that could have been so different if they started each reassessment - every time she came in - with a fresh page and didn't have that bias from a previous doctor's assessment of them."
In a deeply emotional 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."
Coroner's Conclusion
Recording a narrative conclusion, the coroner said Libby repeatedly visited North Tees Hospital Urgent Care Centre (UCC) in Stockton and was later admitted to hospital prior to being discharged home, later suffering a cardiac arrest. "There were missed opportunities to investigate the cause of her persistent abdominal pain and vomiting, and to provide life-saving treatment," Teesside Coroner Clare Bailey said. "Libby's death was contributed to by neglect."
An independent medical expert found that Libby had not been able to open her bowels for some days and that should have aroused suspicion among medics that she did not have gastroenteritis, as a usual symptom was diarrhoea. The report found that multiple chances were missed for a scan of her stomach to be done, and that an operation could have successfully treated her blocked intestine.
Trust Apologises
Dr Michael Stewart, group chief medical officer for North Tees and Hartlepool and South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trusts, told the inquest he offered "an unreserved and sincere apology for the missed opportunities in Libby's care". He said there was a "degree of confirmation bias" regarding the unchanging diagnosis of gastroenteritis. The coroner accepted that procedures have improved at the trust.
A spokesperson from North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust said: "We are deeply saddened by the death of Libby Instone who was under our care. Our sincere condolences remain with her family, friends and loved ones during this difficult time. We accept the findings of the inquest. We apologise to her family and continue to offer support to all involved. A thorough review of the circumstances surrounding this case has identified shortcomings in the care provided to Libby and her family. We are committed to learning from this tragic case and have implemented measures to strengthen processes to reduce the risk of similar incidents in the future."
