Hospital Executives Reportedly Dismissed Nursing Chief’s Call to Involve Police in Letby Case

A public inquiry has revealed that hospital executives disregarded a nursing chief’s requests to contact the police. These requests followed her alarm at a baby’s recurring pattern of health declines that occurred while Lucy Letby was on duty. Sian Williams, previously the deputy director of nursing at The Countess of Chester Hospital, was instructed by her superiors in 2016 to review staffing schedules. This instruction came after a succession of unforeseen deaths and collapses within the neo-natal unit. Ms Williams testified to the Thirlwall Inquiry, which is investigating how Letby managed to murder seven babies and attempt to murder seven others, stating that the nurse was “80% more likely to be on duty either during or before a baby collapsed”. Instead of contacting law enforcement, the inquiry learned that executives opted to commission an external review and conduct internal studies. Consultants, according to the inquiry, cautioned management in late June 2016 about compromised patient safety and suggested the potential for Letby to be intentionally harming infants. Ms Williams stated that she presented her analysis of staffing to the executive team in mid-July. She indicated that the findings were so striking that she arranged a private meeting with medical director Ian Harvey the following day. The nursing chief recounted that she drew his attention to a single baby’s repeated overnight collapses, which occurred on three separate occasions when Letby was working. Ms Williams further noted that the baby’s condition improved during daytime hours when Letby was absent. “I have to say that spooked me,” she informed the inquiry, while at Liverpool Town Hall. Ms Williams informed Shahram Sharghy, who represents some families of Letby’s victims, that Mr Harvey stated he would verify the information. Mr Sharghy inquired: “Did he or any other member of the executive team seem surprised or indeed worried by what you had told them about your findings?” Ms Williams responded: “I don’t recall them saying anything that would give me that impression.” Ms Williams additionally stated that she informed the executives about a prior incident, “many years ago,” where police were contacted regarding potential intentional harm on an adult ward at the hospital. She elaborated: “I got a phone call from a previous chief executive saying could I come down? “He said somebody had brought this concern that somebody may be switching off pumps which deliver fluids to patients. I think it was in the high dependency setting.” “We had a very brief conversation and said we both believed we should inform the police and they would make their decision as to what do. So he rang the police.” “The police came in straight away. They didn’t want you to do your own investigation or anything like that.” Regarding Letby, Ms Williams stated she pressed her superiors to follow a comparable method. However, the nursing chief reported being repeatedly informed that [senior managers] had “taken advice” indicating they needed to conduct their own investigation first. She testified to the inquiry that she thought the executive team was “clear in their minds” that the fatalities resulted from substandard care, not from Letby intentionally harming infants. The inquiry reviewed notes from a meeting held on 11 July 2016, involving executives, managers, and clinicians, which focused on addressing consultants’ worries regarding Letby. Tony Chambers, who was the chief executive at the time, was recorded as saying: “There is correlation with a nurse but we know change in acuity and activity. He further stated: “A week ago only option to ring the police but now more info.” “We can create harm to nurse – fragile toxic.” “Need to protect it.” Consultant Ravi Jayaram was noted to have remarked: “Should not be blinkered to the unspeakable. Fine balance, my objectivity compromised.” Another consultant, John Gibbs, commented: “Main worry is nurse therefore must be totally supervised. Cast iron assurance.” Subsequently that month, Letby was reassigned to administrative tasks within the hospital’s risk and patient safety department, instead of remaining on the neonatal unit. Mr Chambers contacted Cheshire Police in May 2017. Letby remained employed at the hospital until her initial arrest in July 2018. The 34-year-old, a resident of Hereford, is currently serving 15 whole-life orders. This follows her conviction at Manchester Crown Court for the murder of seven infants and the attempted murder of seven others, including two attempts on one victim, which occurred between June 2015 and June 2016. The Thirlwall Inquiry is projected to continue until early 2025, with its conclusions anticipated for publication by late autumn of the same year.