The chief executive of the Countess of Chester Hospital, Jane Tomkinson, has told the public inquiry into baby murders carried out by former neonatal nurse Lucy Letby that significant changes have been implemented at the hospital, with the case now being handled differently. Ms Tomkinson expressed her sorrow on behalf of the hospital to the families affected by Letby’s crimes. While she did not comment specifically on the evidence presented in relation to warnings given by consultant paediatricians about a possible connection between Letby and the deaths and illnesses of several babies, she said there was now a clear way for employees to voice concerns about patient safety.
Ms Tomkinson told the hearing at Liverpool Town Hall that numerous changes had been made since the period in question. The former acting chief executive, who joined in December 2022 and took up the post permanently last February, said the response to such events would be handled differently and in a way that was aligned from “ward to board”. The method for staff to access insulin, which Letby allegedly used to poison two babies, had been changed to ensure staff accountability with a clear audit trail provided using a swipe card aligning to each individual staff member.
Letby was sentenced to 15 whole-life orders for murdering seven infants and attempting to kill seven others. Her victims’ families have criticised the former senior management at the Countess of Chester Hospital over claims that their warnings about Letby were ignored. She was convicted of murdering babies and attempting to kill others using insulin in 2015 and 2016.
Ms Tomkinson also acknowledged that the impact of Letby’s actions on the hospital will never disappear while adding that the new executive team are making a significant difference at pace in how the hospital operates and what its culture represents.
The inquiry, which is chaired by Lady Justice Thirlwall, has now entered its final week of evidence presentation, with findings expected to be published in autumn
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