In July 2018, a former hospital chief executive, Tony Chambers, expressed concerns about a “wrongful conviction” following the arrest of nurse Lucy Letby. Letby, a neonatal nurse, was detained by Cheshire Police after a string of unexpected collapses and deaths of babies in the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital. Dr. Susan Gilby, who had recently become the deputy chief executive and medical director, recalled Mr. Chambers being “confident” that no charges would be brought against Letby. Dr. Gilby later succeeded Mr. Chambers as chief executive.
Letby, convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven others between June 2015 and June 2016, received 15 whole-life prison sentences. Dr. Gilby, who was out of the country when Letby was arrested, anticipated a stunned executive team upon her return to the hospital. Instead, she found Mr. Chambers focused on asserting that no deliberate harm had been done. Despite the absence of a single cause, Dr. Gilby emphasized the severity of unexpected collapses and deaths among patients, cautioning against overlooking such incidents.
The nurse was transferred from the neonatal unit in June 2016 following complaints from consultant paediatricians to senior hospital management. It was not until May 2017 that investigators were called in after several independent reviews highlighted a rise in mortality rates. Dr. Gilby observed a dismissive attitude from senior executives towards consultants, with a tendency to shift blame onto the doctors for poor outcomes. The inquiry panel noted that Letby’s wrongful conviction was not within its scope, and Dr. Gilby shared troubling insights into patient care management at the hospital before her tenure.
Dr. Gilby recounted a meeting with Dr. Stephen Brearey, who had raised concerns about unexplained collapses within the hospital. The clinical nature of these incidents stood out to Dr. Gilby, prompting a reevaluation of patient care practices at the hospital. The inquiry, overseen by Lady Justice Thirlwall, expressly avoided discussing Letby’s conviction status. A recent press conference by an international panel of experts disputed the intentional harm caused by Letby, with her legal team submitting a report to the Criminal Cases Review Commission for review. The inquiry is set to conclude with a publication of findings in Autumn after closing submissions on 17 March
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