Consultant claims to have been “misled” by NHS management regarding Letby cases

A specialist doctor stated she felt “misled” following her review of infant deaths that were subsequently attributed to nurse Lucy Letby’s murders. Consultant neonatologist Jane Hawdon was commissioned by the Countess of Chester Hospital to conduct a case note examination for 17 infants, comprising 13 fatalities and four instances described as “near misses.” Dr. Hawdon testified that she was not informed of any suspicions concerning a staff member when medical director Ian Harvey assigned her the task in September 2016. She informed the public inquiry investigating the context of Letby’s crimes that she subsequently believed she had not been “adequately briefed” regarding the cases. Letby had been reassigned from the hospital’s neonatal unit to administrative roles in July 2016, following consultants expressing concerns about her connection to unexplained infant deaths and collapses. During questioning by Rachel Langdale KC, counsel to the inquiry, Dr. Hawdon stated her suspicion that the hospital “didn’t want to bias or influence my review.” She further elaborated, “Had I been told there was a suspicion about a member of staff I would have had a much more detailed conversation with Mr Harvey as to whether it was appropriate for me to proceed, and on what basis.” Dr. Hawdon indicated that additional investigations would have been necessary concerning staffing, potential equipment malfunctions, or contamination of nutritional feeds. Addressing Peter Skelton KC, who represents some of the families of Letby’s victims, she stated: “I can’t say who misled me but I feel misled.” Dr. Hawdon expressed her belief that the sole suitable response to suspicions of intentional harm would have involved contacting the police or commencing safeguarding protocols, which she described as “which amounted to the same thing.” Cheshire Police were not contacted until 2017. The public inquiry, overseen by senior judge Lady Justice Thirlwall, heard that Dr. Hawdon’s case note assessment did not include discussions with any physicians who had cared for the infants, nor with their parents. Consequently, Dr. Hawdon informed the inquiry that her review was “absolutely not be the level of forensic investigation that was needed.” Her report determined that the deaths of four of Letby’s victims—identified as Child A, Child I, Child O, and Child P—were unexplained and unexpected. She testified to the inquiry that had she been provided with additional details regarding the circumstances of three other infants’ collapses, she would have classified the deaths of Child C, Child D, and Child E as unexplained. Letby, aged 34 and from Hereford, is currently serving 15 whole-life sentences following 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, occurring between June 2015 and June 2016. The inquiry, taking place at Liverpool Town Hall, is ongoing.