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Mental Ward Death: Thumbs-Up to Tragedy in Under 30 Mins
24 Apr
Summary
- Young woman died less than 30 minutes after smiling at staff.
- Inquest recorded a narrative verdict with no defined conclusion on intent.
- Paramedics faced a delay accessing the mental health ward.
Libby Mycroft, 19, died in 2024 while a patient at the Peter Hodgkinson Centre in Lincoln. Her family had expressed concern about her quiet mood to staff shortly before her death.
An inquest heard that Libby, admitted under the Mental Health Act, was subject to 30-minute observations. Less than 30 minutes before she was found unresponsive, she smiled and gave a thumbs-up to a support worker at 19:38 GMT on October 23.
Tragically, Libby was discovered unresponsive at 20:04 GMT. The inquest also noted a delay in paramedics reaching the ward after the alarm was raised at 20:08 GMT. They arrived at 20:10 GMT but faced access issues.
Libby was pronounced dead at 21:54 GMT. The Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust stated their investigation found no failings in Libby's care but acknowledged the need for swifter out-of-hours emergency ward access.
The coroner commended Libby's positive qualities, offering condolences to her family.
