A recent report leaked to The Trial podcast exposes how the lives of babies could have been saved if hospital management had acted sooner to remove Lucy Letby from her position.
The investigation reveals that NHS managers missed 14 crucial opportunities to suspend the nurse when a clear connection between her and the deaths of infants at the Countess of Chester Hospital’s neonatal unit emerged.
The Missed Opportunities to Stop Letby
The report highlights that hospital executives failed to take appropriate action, despite mounting evidence that Letby was involved in multiple infant deaths.
Staff members raised concerns about her presence during the deaths, but these concerns were ignored.
Instead of calling the police, hospital managers opted to conduct external investigations that failed to uncover the true cause of the deaths.
As the situation grew more dire, doctors who continued to raise alarm bells were ostracized and even bullied by hospital executives.
These executives, including the hospital’s then-medical director, Ian Harvey, and ex-director of nursing, Alison Kelly, chose to prioritize the hospital’s reputation over patient safety.
The report concludes that earlier intervention could have prevented further deaths.
The Shocking Findings of the Report
Lucy Letby, now serving 15 whole-life sentences for murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven others between 2015 and 2016, remained on duty long after the hospital was aware of the troubling patterns.
The investigation, titled Hidden in Plain Sight, was conducted by healthcare consultancy Facere Melius and commissioned by Dr. Susan Gilby, who took over as hospital chief following the arrest of Letby.
The 243-page report focuses on the deaths of 13 babies and uncovers a series of errors made by hospital management.
Letby was found to be on duty or near the scene of nearly every baby death between 2015 and 2016.
Despite this, the board failed to take any meaningful action, and the spike in mortality rates went largely unchecked for months.
Key Failures by Hospital Leadership
The report paints a clear picture of incompetence and negligence.
For example, Ruth Millward, the hospital’s head of risk and patient safety, failed to classify the early infant deaths as serious incidents, thus preventing any outside agency from investigating the rising mortality rate.
This mistake occurred as early as June 2015.
Furthermore, Ian Harvey and Alison Kelly ignored multiple warning signs, including a table in February 2016 that clearly showed Letby was on duty for all but one of the infant deaths.
Despite this, they took no action, allowing Letby to continue her role until two more babies were killed in June 2016.
Reactions to the Report and Ongoing Legal Battles
The revelations in the report have sparked outrage, with many questioning how such a tragedy could unfold under the watch of those responsible for patient safety.
Meanwhile, Lucy Letby’s defense team has attempted to have her convictions overturned, citing new evidence being reviewed by the Criminal Cases Review Commission.
However, Richard Baker, representing the families of the victims, has accused the hospital leadership of attempting to delay scrutiny and avoid criticism.
As the investigation into Letby continues, Cheshire Police are still looking into her crimes, and the public inquiry into the hospital’s failures is ongoing.
The case has also sparked wider discussions on how hospitals handle whistleblowers and patient safety.
For more in-depth coverage of the Lucy Letby case, including exclusive insights into the ongoing public inquiry, be sure to tune in to The Trial, available now on The Crime Desk podcast.