Lucy Letby inquiry live: Killer nicknamed ‘nurse death’ by doctors but hospital still didn’t call police
A public inquiry into how Lucy Letby was able to murder babies at a neo-natal unit over a two-year period is taking place
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Lucy Letby was nicknamed “nurse death” by junior doctors after she was removed from duties on the neo-natal ward at Countess of Chester Hospital, a public inquiry has heard today.
But despite the staff concerns and references to the convicted murder, hospital bosses still did not act to contact police on the matter.
The child serial killer was sentenced to 15 whole-life orders after she was convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven others on the ward in 2015 and 2016.
In September 2016 - two months after Letby was switched to clerical work - the Royal Collage of Paediatrics and Child Health was invited to carry out a review at the hospital, although not all members of the team were aware of the nurse before the visit.
However, notes of the team’s initial interview with former medical director Ian Harvey recorded him highlighting Letby.
The notes, read out at today’s inquiry, recorded Mr Harvey as saying: “Had to intervene with the neonatal lead as junior doctors had been referring to her as ‘nurse death’.
“Ripples through the team..... can’t see how to conclude without calling the police.”
The trust did not formally contact police until May 2017.
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‘Need to keep the shutters down’ - non-executive director
We’re now hearing about an interview held with Andrew Higgins, a non-executive director at Countess of Chester Hospital, by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health in September 2016.
Mr Higgins said he was aware of the allegations and there had been “long debates how to deal with them”, including calling the police, Mr Nicholas de la Poer KC tells the inquiry.
Mr de la Poer says: “The notes appear to attribute to Mr Higgins the comment ‘need to keep the shutters down and contain the situation. Not sure where to go next’”
The inquiry will ask Mr Higgins if he said that, and if so, what he meant by it.
In his statement to the inquiry, Mr Higgins said he could not recall saying it.
“[He] thinks the comment related to ‘the need to contain the situation so that no further incidents could occur and the facts behind the recent deaths could be established’,” says Mr de la Poer
Doctors raised their concerns with the review team
Dr Stephen Brearey and Dr Ravi Jayaram, who worked on the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital, raised concerns about Letby in 2015.
Mr Nicholas de la Poer KC tells the inquiry that they were also interviewed by the visiting review team from Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health in September 2016.
Both doctors expressed their concerns in respect of Letby, said Mr de la Poer.
“It’s how the babies collapsed. No indication. Didn’t respond physiologically how they should have done. Seven of them so not always the same one… Nurse on shift at all times,” they were recorded as telling the review team.”
Both said they excited senior executives to call police.
Junior doctors nicknamed Letby ‘nurse death'
We’re now hearing more about the review carried out by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, and interviews carried out with hospital bosses.
In his initial interview, former medical director Ian Harvey was recorded in notes as saying junior doctors referred to Lucy Letby as “nurse death”.
Mr Harvey went on to say it “ripples through the team”, and “can’t see how to concluse without calling police”.
Further notes taken from interviewing Mr Harvey show he was asked “what is the tippping point?” or “what is the tipping point? Not police?”
Mr Harvey was recorded as replying: “Need to pull together before we press the nuclear button.”
Alison Kelly, who was director of nursing at the hospital, was recorded as telling the review team there were “no issues with comptency of the nurse... no issues with training... highly thought by the unit.”
‘Elephant in the room’ - former chief executive to Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
The guide on invited reviews provides that the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health would not take on reviews where “the expected scope includes behavioural, misconduct, bullying, harassment or possible mental health concerns,” said Mr Nicholas de la Poer KC.
However, the concerns dominated the first interview with former medical director Ian Harvey, who is recorded as saying: “Correlation of one nurse – paediatricians see as elephant in the room. Lucy Letby. Pattern of babies collapse doesn’t seem to follow normal pattern and respond to resuscitation in normal way. Multifactorial. Want to think the worst – but nothing else is pointing to it.”
Lucy Letby ‘hid in plain sight’ like GP killer Harold Shipman, inquiry hears
Serial killer Lucy Letby has been compared to Harold Shipman at a public inquiry opened up into the circumstances around the nurse’s murders.
The Thirwall Inquiry, which began on Monday, is looking into the events surrounding the crimes of Lucy Letby, including the failures of the hospital staff and leadership to respond to concerns raised.
The inquiry’s opening came amid growing speculation over the evidence used to convict Letby over the killings at Chester Countess Hospital last year. Chairwoman Lady Justice Thirwall started the hearing by stating it had caused “an enormous amount of stress” for the families of victims.
Lucy Letby ‘hid in plain sight’ like GP killer Harold Shipman, inquiry hears
On the opening day of a public inquiry into Lucy Letby’s murders, the killer is compared to other ‘manipulative’ convicts like Harold Shipman and Beverly Allitt
‘Not the slightest inkling or suspicion that anyone had deliberately harmed the children’ - coroner
We’re coming to the end of today’s evidence.
Mr Nicholas de la Poer KC tells the inquiry about evidence from Nicholas Rheinberg who was, at the time, the Senior Coroner for Cheshire. He retired in March 2017.
He has expresssed his surprise that the concerns over the death of the children from the consultants were not shared with him.
He also says that at two meetings with medical director Ian Harvey in February 2017, he was not made aware of suspicions or concerns relating to the involvement of a nurse in relation to any deaths.
Hospital’s former medical director believed police investigation would ‘allow us to close down the speculation here'
We’ve already heard how there were apparent concerns from NHS England that the hospital’s former medical director, Ian Harvey, was avoiding contacting police.
When it was confirmed that police would investigate, Mr Harvey believed that their enquiries would “close down speculation” about Letby, Mr Nicholas de la Poer KC tells the inquiry.
He says Mr Harvey said police had been sent a letter by consultants which was “very prejudiced”, “effectively pointing the finger at one nurse”.
On 15 May 2017, Cheshire Plice decided there were sufficient grounds to suspect a criminal offence and to launch a criminal investigation.
Letby called ‘angel of death’ in police meeting
We’re now hearing details from a meeting of police and executives at the Countess of Chester on April 27 in 2017.
By this point it was agreed that the matter had to be passed to police and days later Detective Chief Superintendent Wenham told officers that a letter would soon be coming from the hospital.
In the same week, police met with former chief executive Tony Chambers, and NHS England was informed that a police investigation would be launched.
At the meeting on 27 April, he “angel of death” description was from the recollection of the meeting by Det Chf Supt Wenham.
Countess of Chester Hospital’s former director of nursing and quality still under investigation
Alison Kelly, Countess of Chester Hospital former director of nursing and quality, was referred to the General Medical Council Fitness to Practise Team by four consultant paediatricians, Mr Nicholas de la Poer KC tells the inquiry.
Concerns included allegations that Ms Kelly mismanaged the concerns of the consultant body, failed to communicate effectively, failed to take appropriate action, made errors of judgment and damaging decisions, and did not act with honesty and integrity at all times.
The investigation was delayed until after Letby’s criminal trial, and is still continuing.
Former medical director Ian Harvey ‘may have fallen seriously below the standard to be expected'
Countess of Chester Hospital former medical Ian Harvey was referred to the General Medical Council Fitness to Practise Team over concerns he failed to act appropriately or timely to response to concerns raised by clinicians over the neo-natal mortality rate from February 2016.
Concerns also included threatening paediatricians, misusing the hospital’s grievance procedures as evidence of Letby’s innocence, misleading the public and trust board.
In September 2018, Mr Harvey, who had by now retired and was leaving in France, said the allegations were “nothing new to him”, Mr Nicholas de la Poer KC tells the inquiry.
He asked for voluntary removal from the register, but said he was prepared to “defend himself vigorously”, Mr de la Poer says.
Mr de la Poer adds: “He described as one of his greatest regrets the “breakdown in the relationship between the Executives and the Consultant Paediatricians…”
The GMC found Mr Harvey’s standard of care may have fallen seriously below the standard to be expected of a reasonably competent medical director.
GMC case examiners decided to close the referral with no action - although Mr Harvey’s application for voluntary erasure from the register was granted.
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