Consultant admits collective failure as inquiry details preventable deaths in Letby case
The 822-page Thirlwall Inquiry report, published on Tuesday, concludes that the Countess of Chester Hospital suffered a 'complete failure' to protect infants during the 2015-2016 period when nurse Lucy Letby was convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven more. Former consultant Dr John Gibbs, who worked at the hospital during the incident period, admitted to the BBC that he and his colleagues failed to escalate concerns to police earlier. The inquiry found that some deaths and injuries could have been prevented if hospital managers had acted on suspicions sooner. Health Secretary Yvette Cooper has pledged urgent reforms, including live-streaming cameras for neonatal units, while Letby’s legal team argues the government is acting too hastily before the Criminal Cases Review Commission concludes its review of her convictions.