'The warmth of Libby's personality shone through'

A young woman who died while an inpatient on a mental health ward had smiled and given the thumbs-up to a member of staff less than half an hour before she was found unconscious.

Libby Mycroft, 19, from Glentham, near Market Rasen, Lincolnshire, died in 2024 while she was at the Peter Hodgkinson Centre at Lincoln County Hospital.

An inquest in Lincoln earlier heard that Libby's family had spent some time with her away from the ward that day, and they had asked staff to keep an eye on her as she had been quiet.

The inquest recorded a narrative verdict. The jury foreperson said: "The evidence provided has not given us a defined conclusion regarding Libby's intent."

Libby, who had a history of mental health issues, was admitted to Castle Ward in May 2024 under the Mental Health Act. She was subject to 30-minute observations.

The court heard Libby was checked on in her room at 19:38 GMT on 23 October by a senior mental health support worker, who said Libby smiled and gave a thumbs-up when asked if she was OK.

The support worker said Libby presented no obvious signs of distress, but added that she was unaware of reports that Libby had been quiet throughout the day.

Libby was then checked on again at 20:04 GMT, and the alarm was raised.

The jury foreperson recorded a "non-causative admitted shortcoming" that paramedics faced delay accessing the ward when the alarm was raised.

Evidence from East Midlands Ambulance Service said it was called at 20:08. Paramedics arrived outside the entrance of the centre at 20:10, but it was closed.

They were let in by a member of staff from elsewhere on the site and taken to Castle Ward, and they reached Libby's room at 20:13.

She was taken to the hospital's resuscitation department at 21:15 but was pronounced dead at 21:54.

Eve Baird, chief operating officer at Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, said: "The coroner confirmed that the trust's investigation identified no failings or missed opportunities in Libby's care.

"We have nonetheless taken action to ensure swifter access to our wards during out‑of‑hours emergencies."

Baird said the trust had undertaken "a full investigation to understand what happened and why".

She added: "We are deeply sorry that Libby died while in our care. While nothing can change what has happened, we remain committed to ensuring that any learning leads to meaningful and lasting improvements."

Coroner Paul Smith said the inquest witnesses "spoke so kindly of Libby and it is very clear to me that the warmth of her personality always shone through the difficulties she faced".

Addressing Libby's family, he said: "Nothing that I can say can ever take away your sense of loss and the pain and heartache that goes with it.

"I hope that you remember her in future times for her very positive qualities."

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