Exeter lady died months after begging GP for assist, inquest hears

A younger lady died months after begging her GP for assist along with her persistent fatigue syndrome, an inquest heard.

Maeve Boothby-O’Neill, 27, had written to her physician asking for assist with feeding as she was hungry.

Ms Boothby-O’Neill had been identified with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME). She died at residence in Exeter, Devon, in October 2021.

The inquest, which is scheduled to final two weeks, continues.

The listening to in Exeter heard that she had informed her GP, Dr Lucy Shenton, in June 2021: “Dear Dr Shenton, I know you are doing your best for me, but I really need help with feeding.

“I don’t perceive why the hospital didn’t do something to assist once I went in. I’m hungry, I wish to eat.”

She continued: “I’ve been unable to sit down up or chew since March and the one individual serving to me eat is my mum. I can’t get sufficient energy from a syringe.

“Please help me get enough food to live.”

She had been affected by fatigue for the reason that age of 13, which bought worse after she accomplished her A-levels, and later struggled to keep up “any normality due to fatigue”

A key witness on the inquest was Dr Shenton however earlier this month she informed the coroner she was too in poor health to attend to offer proof.

The coroner informed the listening to: “Dr Shenton felt the stress of Maeve’s tragic death would have a significant toll on her.”

The GP felt attending the listening to would “trigger a mental health breakdown” and Dr Shenton’s personal GP mentioned she was struggling with post-traumatic stress dysfunction, the coroner mentioned.

Ms Boothby-O’Neill father, Sean O’Neill, a journalist with The Times newspaper, informed the listening to: “Dr Shenton was Maeve’s GP, she knew Maeve for four years and had more contact with her then any other medical professional involved in her care.

“She was keen on Maeve. She recognised her intelligence, her need to be cured of her terrible sickness and her capability to make troublesome choices about her care.”

He said Dr Shenton told Maeve’s mother Sarah Boothby that she had “by no means seen anybody so poorly handled by the NHS as Maeve was”.

The hearing is focusing on Ms Boothby-O’Neill’s care from January 2021 until her death.

According to medical notes, by July she was unable to read, watch TV or engage in conversations, and was only getting out of bed to use the toilet.

She was also unable to chew food and had difficulty drinking because she was not able to sit up.

Ms Boothby-O’Neill had been admitted three times to the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital but was discharged each time and sent home, the inquest was told.

Dr Shenton’s colleague, Dr Paul McDermott, said he was “barely shocked” that, having admitted her to hospital in March 2021, she was sent home the same day.

Ms Boothby-O’Neill’s mother, Sarah Boothby, wrote to the GP practice manager in the April wanting to know what had “gone badly incorrect” with the care of her daughter.

“Since 10 March, 2021, I’ve been the one individual offering take care of an individual unable to sit down, stand or chew,” she wrote.

“This is a long-term persistent situation with out prognosis or remedy protocol.

“What is the plan for hydration, liquid, nourishment and transfers to a bedside commode in the community?

“You had organized to talk by telephone to me earlier than the pandemic in February 2020.

“You did not call as arranged then and when I rang the surgery, they told me you were off sick.

“This case was pressing then and it is rather pressing now.”

Ms Boothby described her daughter as an “distinctive” child and an A-grade student.

Mr O’Neill said of his daughter: “I particularly wished it to be remembered that she was a particular huge sister to Danny and Lily.

“Her death has been hard for Danny and Lily to understand.

“Illness stopped them figuring out her higher, however they knew her love and on her dying mattress she remembered them.”