An NHS inquiry into the crimes of Lucy Letby, the convicted neonatal nurse who murdered seven babies, revealed missed opportunities to raise concerns about patient safety at the Countess of Chester Hospital. The inquiry heard that only three 'serious incidents' were reported to NHS England during the period of Letby's attacks, despite 16 reported incidents. NHS England's national medical director acknowledged that more scrutiny and police involvement could have occurred if more incidents had been flagged.
Lucy Letby , the neonatal nurse who murdered seven babies and attempted to murder seven others, was convicted and sentenced to 15 whole-life orders. An investigation into the hospital where Letby committed her crimes revealed missed opportunities to raise concerns about patient safety.
Professor Sir Stephen Powis, the national medical director for NHS England, testified at the public inquiry, stating that only three 'serious incidents' were reported by Countess of Chester Hospital to NHS England during the period of Letby's attacks, despite 16 reported incidents. Sir Stephen acknowledged that if more incidents had been reported as 'serious incidents', there would have been greater scrutiny and inquiries, potentially leading to earlier police involvement. He pointed out that the fact only one death from Letby's initial cluster of air injections in June 2015 was reported did not trigger the necessary concerns. A year later, when several deaths occurred within a short timeframe, it immediately raised alarm and prompted further investigation. The inquiry also explored the role of culture and processes within the hospital. Sir Stephen stated that a culture of curiosity and openness was lacking within the Countess of Chester, and that escalation processes were not utilized effectively. He emphasized the importance of recognizing the possibility, however rare, that healthcare professionals could deliberately cause harm. The inquiry will reconvene in March for closing submissions, with findings expected to be published this autumn
LUCY LETBY NHS ENGLAND COUNTESS OF CHESTER HOSPITAL BABY MURDERS PATIENT SAFETY PUBLIC INQUIRY HOSPITAL CULTURE ESCALATION PROCESSES
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