The Countess of Chester Hospital stands accused of overlooking allegations against nurse Lucy Letby, permitting her to continue her sinister activities within the neonatal unit. The negligence resulted in the deaths of seven infants and the attempted murder of six others.
British nurse Lucy Letby, aged 33, inflicted harm upon the infants under her care by means such as injecting air into their blood and stomachs, overfeeding them with milk, subjecting them to physical assault, and administering poisonous doses of insulin. In a covert manner, she targeted a total of 13 infants in the neonatal ward at the Countess of Chester hospital between 2015 and 2016, as stated by Britain’s Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
The lead consultant of the neonatal unit, Dr Stephen Brearey, raised concerns about Lucy Letby’s behaviour as early as October 2015, suspecting that her actions may have been harming the vulnerable infants under her care. However, his efforts to sound the alarm fell on deaf ears within the hospital administration, leading to a delay in addressing the issue.
The initial five murders occurred between June and October 2015, while the final two took place in June 2016.
Dr Brearey’s concerns were not confined to verbal warnings alone. He delved into hospital documents as part of his quest to unveil the truth. Investigation exposes how hospital bosses not only disregarded his pleas for action but also attempted to silence other doctors who were growing suspicious of Letby’s behaviour.
In June 2016, following the final two murders, Dr Brearey insisted that Lucy Letby be removed from her duty. The hospital management adopted a perplexing approach. Doctors were instructed to issue a written apology to Letby, accompanied by a directive to cease making allegations against her.
Letby was relocated to the risk and patient safety office. The move placed her in a position with access to sensitive documents from the neonatal unit and kept her in close proximity to senior managers responsible for investigating her.
Inadequate reporting of deaths within the unit rendered it impossible to detect the high fatality rate through the broader NHS system.
Beyond the seven murder convictions that Letby currently faces, it is revealed that she was on duty during six additional baby deaths at the hospital. Letby’s presence during the deaths of two babies, while she worked at Liverpool Women’s Hospital, has also come to light.
Dr Stephen Brearey convened a meeting involving Eirian Powell, the unit manager, and Alison Kelly, the hospital’s director of nursing. The hospital embarked on a comprehensive investigation, including a staffing analysis. The analysis unveiled that Lucy Letby had been present for the majority of the unexpected deaths.
The deaths appeared unrelated, causing hospital authorities to overlook the potential significance of Letby’s involvement.
However, Dr Brearey’s concerns grew as the number of deaths associated with Letby continued to rise. He reached out to unit manager Eirian Powell again, attempting to convey his concerns. Powell’s response appeared dismissive.
Letby’s sentencing is scheduled to take place at Manchester Crown Court on 21 August.