NHS Inquiry Reveals Failures in Lucy Letby Case

9:02 AM ETDeveloping

Health Desk

In Short: A £18.5m public inquiry has highlighted significant failures in the NHS that allowed child serial killer Lucy Letby to harm newborns, according to reports.

An £18.5m public inquiry has revealed a 'complete failure to protect babies' on the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital, where former neonatal nurse Lucy Letby harmed newborns by poisoning them with insulin and other means, according to Inews.

The inquiry, led by Lady Justice Thirlwall, found that at least three babies could have been saved if action had been taken sooner, while Letby was harming newborns in 2015 and 2016. Letby, 36, is currently serving fifteen whole life orders for the murder of seven babies and attempting to murder a further seven.

The public inquiry described a 'dispiriting and at times shocking account of multiple and repeated mistakes and failings by organisations and individuals,' according to Madeformums. The inquiry also found that senior managers failed to deal 'openly and honestly with the serious risk posed by Letby to patient safety.

The Thirlwall Inquiry has exposed serious NHS failings and set out 17 recommendations to improve patient safety. The inquiry's focus was not on Letby's guilt or her convictions, but on the systemic issues that allowed her to harm babies, according to Madeformums.

What's still developing

Letby was eventually moved off the ward and Cheshire Police called in after a prolonged period of disagreement between nurses, doctors and senior management about why babies were suffering unexpected collapses and dying.
The Inquiry found those present understood his concern could mean either incompetence or deliberate harm.
The Inquiry found a fundamental failure to recognise concerns that a member of staff might be deliberately harming babies as a safeguarding issue.
The Inquiry found both believed the doctors were wrong.
The Inquiry was also critical of the failure to tell outside NHS bodies the full extent of what doctors were saying.
It also found that the people appointed to deal with the grievance lacked the appropriate independence, skills or experience for a case of such seriousness and complexity.

Sources

lbc.co.uklink