Student treated as ‘time-waster’ before death
Libby Instone died in August 2023 as a result of an infarction in her small intestine. [Supplied]
A coroner found that negligence contributed to the death of a normal, healthy law student.
Libby Instone, 20, of Billingham, Teesside, was told she had gastroenteritis during three visits to the urgent care center in just over 24 hours and had been vomiting for days when she collapsed in August 2023.
The Newcastle University student, who hoped to become a lawyer, died as a result of an infarction in his small intestine, Teesside coroner Clare Bailey was told.
His mother, Susan Instone, said a member of staff told her they “just thought he was a time waster.” The local health trust offered an “unreserved and sincere apology”.
In a statement, the 57-year-old man told the inquest that his daughter returned from a trip to London with her boyfriend on August 16, started vomiting and was in extreme pain.
As she continued to gag, Libby said she called 111 on August 18 and was taken to North Tees Hospital Urgent Care Center (UCC), where she was prescribed anti-sickness medication but was not examined.
Her daughter, who she said was usually fit and energetic, was sent home, but her parents took her back to UCC that evening, where a doctor said Libby was suffering from gastroenteritis and was being treated with saline.
Libby was studying at Newcastle University and hoped to become a lawyer [Handout]
Instone, who attended the inquest with Libby’s father Ian, said his daughter was sent home again at 01.30am BST to vomit “black liquid” in the car park.
His parents took him back to UCC at 14:30 BST because he was “completely exhausted and very weak”, his mother said.
After discussions with a member of staff, the family decided to take Libby to the accident and emergency department and began the waiting process again.
His mother said they waited to be seen for about nine hours before a nurse put him on a drip and gave him painkillers and anti-sickness medications.
Libby was admitted to a ward and her family visited her the next day, but she claimed staff were busy watching the Women’s World Cup penalty shoot-out on TV.
Libby was later allowed to go home, but her mother said her daughter continued to feel unwell.
“He said he was scared and asked if he was going to die,” he said.
“I laughed and told him not to be stupid.”
Minutes later, Libby collapsed and paramedics were called. The investigation stated that the woman was taken to hospital but could not be saved.
A report has revealed surgery is possible that could successfully treat Libby’s blocked bowel [Handout]
“Then a woman from the staff came up to me and said they thought he was just a time waster,” Instone said. he said.
“She was a nurse. We had just lost Libby and I didn’t know what was going on.”
Instone said the family was told by the hospital in the days after her death that Libby could not be saved, and it was not until six months later that they learned the truth.
“The last few days of my daughter’s life were horrific,” she said.
“Libby was in constant pain, she was afraid.
“We went to hospital trusting the people we believed would look after her, but Libby was let down by the doctors who were supposed to be looking after her.
“Libby was treated as a nuisance, a waste of time, and never shown any compassion.”
‘We missed opportunities’
An independent medical expert instructed by the coroner found that Libby had been unable to open her bowels for several days, which should raise suspicion among doctors that she did not have gastroenteritis, as the usual symptoms were diarrhoea.
The report found that many chances to have a stomach scan were missed and that surgery could have successfully treated his blocked bowel.
North Tees and Hartlepool and South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trusts group chief medical officer Dr. Michael Stewart told the inquest he offered “an unreserved and sincere apology for the opportunities missed in Libby’s care”.
He said there was “a degree of confirmation bias” associated with the unchanged diagnosis of gastroenteritis.
The coroner said the hospital’s “failure to consider anything other than gastroenteritis” constituted a “massive failure of care”.
This is compounded by infrequent physical checks, inaccurate recording of vomiting and a lack of basic care, Bailey said.
The coroner said Libby had a heart attack due to a blockage in her intestine.
“Libby’s death was caused by negligence,” he said.
Bailey acknowledged that procedures at the trust had improved.
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