Lucy Letby, the nurse who was found guilty of murdering seven babies and attempting to kill a further seven, failed her final year student nurse placement due to her cold demeanor and lack of empathy with patients and their families. The Thirlwall Inquiry heard from her assessor, Nicola Lightfoot, who stated that Letby did not possess the necessary characteristics to become a successful nurse. Ms. Lightfoot also found Letby’s clinical knowledge to be inadequate, citing that she struggled to retain information on medication dosages and recognize the side effects of common drugs.
Ms. Lightfoot stated that Letby required extensive support, prompting, and supervision, stating she was not yet competent to be signed off as a competent practitioner. Letby passed her retrieval placement after securing a new assessor, claiming she felt “intimidated” by Ms. Lightfoot. Sarah Jane Murphy, Letby’s next mentor, said she was “conflicted” about passing the student nurse in light of Ms. Lightfoot’s comments.
Ms. Lightfoot, the Deputy Ward Manager on the hospital’s children’s unit, found Letby’s demeanor to be “cold” and found that she lacked the natural warmth expected from a children’s nurse. In addition, she stated that Letby’s expressionless look made several staff feel “awkward.” Ms. Lightfoot also overheard Letby making an “inappropriate” comment after the deaths of two triplets in June 2016 – who Letby was convicted of murdering. She stated that Letby seemed to be talking about some “exciting event” she had witnessed and that it was not an appropriate response to the death of a child.
The inquiry was launched to investigate how Letby was able to commit her crimes. Ms. Lightfoot’s testimony suggests that the hospital failed to assess and address the red flags surrounding Letby’s lack of empathy and clinical knowledge. The inquiry continues, with a focus on lessons to prevent similar tragedies in the future
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