Former senior managers at the Countess of Chester Hospital have apologised for keeping victims’ families in the dark but denied suppressing concerns about nurse Lucy Letby, who attacked and killed babies at the hospital. The Thirlwall Inquiry heard that they had no suspicions about her before June 2016 and none of them had previously experienced such criminal behaviour over their long careers. Kate Blackwell KC spoke on behalf of former chief executive Tony Chambers, former medical director Ian Harvey, former director of nursing Alison Kelly, and ex-HR director Susan Hodkinson.
However, lawyers representing the families of babies injured or murdered by Letby criticised the managers for failing to investigate concerns raised by consultants working in the hospital’s neonatal unit. During Letby’s criminal trial, Dr Ravi Jayaram told the jury that he and his fellow consultants were under pressure from senior management at the hospital not to make a fuss. The consultants involved have not yet addressed the inquiry on this point but are due to give evidence in the coming weeks.
Ms Blackwell said the managers felt they had taken appropriate steps based on the information they had received about rising death rates in the neonatal unit but recognised that contact with some parents was inadequate and had caused hurt and anxieties to those affected. When made aware that Letby was on shift during many unexplained deaths and collapses in health, they were told it was likely due to the nurse’s specialist training and willingness to do extra shifts. They said neonatal unit manager Eirian Powell was also firmly of the view that Letby was a good and competent nurse.
The inquiry also heard an opening statement on behalf of NHS England, which criticised the hospital for under-reporting serious incidents in its neonatal unit. Jason Beer KC, on behalf of NHS England, told the inquiry that it could have done more to scrutinise the hospital when death rates on the unit became a concern.
Letby, from Hereford, is serving 15 whole-life prison terms after she was convicted in August 2023 of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven others between June 2015 and June 2016. The inquiry continues
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