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Hospital bosses let Lucy Letby kill three more babies
A public inquiry found executives protected the hospital's reputation over patient safety, allowing a serial killer nurse to continue.
In brief
A public inquiry found executives protected the hospital's reputation over patient safety, allowing a serial killer nurse to continue. Three babies could have been saved if hospital executives had listened to doctors and called police sooner instead of protecting the institution's reputation. Originally reported by…
Parents condemn hospital bosses
Families of babies murdered by Lucy Letby blame hospital executives for stalling a police investigation and targeting whistleblowing doctors instead of protecting children.
Three babies could have lived
Lady Justice Thirlwall concluded three murdered babies might have been saved and seven others protected from attack if detectives had been called in sooner.
CEO obstructed the investigation
Chief executive Tony Chambers, paid £160,000, obstructed the police probe and was so determined to bring down concerned doctors that he lost objectivity.
Nursing director's misguided loyalty
Alison Kelly's determination to protect Letby because she was a fellow nurse overrode her professional judgment, the judge found.
Families kept in the dark
Executives didn't tell families about doctors' concerns because they believed a police investigation would lead nowhere, which the judge called disgraceful and reprehensible.
Reputation prized over safety
The 822-page report found prevention of reputational damage was valued more highly than investigating the spike in deaths on the neonatal unit.
Pointless reviews instead of police
Instead of alerting police, managers commissioned external reviews that failed to discover why babies were dying. Leadership was dysfunctional.
Doctors threatened, not protected
Rather than being treated as whistleblowers, doctors were threatened with referrals to the General Medical Council and attempts were made to manage them out of their jobs.
Cot cams recommended for all units
The inquiry made 17 recommendations including fitting video monitors in incubators on all NHS neonatal units and digital devices on fridges to monitor insulin access.
Britain's worst child serial killer
Letby, 36, is serving 15 whole-life sentences for murdering seven infants and attempting to murder seven more between June 2015 and June 2016.
Insulin test was disregarded
A consultant reviewing abnormal insulin levels in Baby F, who Letby poisoned in August 2015, disregarded the test. This allowed Letby to continue harming children.
Seven more babies harmed
Letby was convicted of harming seven more children before being removed from the ward in July 2016. At least one was left with life-changing brain damage.
Tribal loyalty to a nurse
Senior nurses showed unthinking loyalty to Letby because she was one of their profession. This distracted them from protecting babies from harm.
Safeguarding lead never flagged concerns
Despite being the hospital's safeguarding lead, Alison Kelly never reported the consultants' concerns to the local safeguarding board or NHS England.
Executive refused to remove Letby
Karen Rees refused to stop Letby working even after the deaths of triplet brothers on consecutive shifts in June 2016, because she didn't believe doctors' concerns were in good faith.
Families misled on review findings
Medical director Ian Harvey commissioned external reviews without consulting doctors and misled the hospital board and babies' families on their findings.
Criminal investigation continues
A Cheshire Police investigation into potential corporate manslaughter and gross negligence manslaughter at the hospital continues. Letby's case is being reviewed for potential miscarriage of justice.
The essence
Three babies could have been saved if hospital executives had listened to doctors and called police sooner instead of protecting the institution's reputation.
