Hospital missed 14 chances to stop Lucy Letby

A leaked report has revealed that hospital officials at Countess of Chester Hospital missed 14 opportunities to stop nurse Lucy Letby from killing infants. The findings indicate that swift action could have saved lives. The investigation, ordered by Dr. Susan Gilby, shows that Letby was on duty during or shortly before many of the deaths. The report highlights that the NHS managers ignored a staffing review linking Letby to the deaths and instead conducted flawed external investigations. It claims that executives bullied doctors who raised concerns about Letby's activities. Letby, now 35, was convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven more between June 2015 and June 2016. The report asserts that health officials were aware of the deaths and Letby's involvement but failed to act. Only after several infants were murdered did the authorities begin to take the situation seriously. The document criticizes the hospital's leadership for prioritizing their reputation over patient safety. Dr. Gilby had attempted to publish the report after Letby's conviction in August 2023, but faced resistance from NHS bosses. The report, containing detailed analysis and testimonies from hospital staff, uncovers systematic failures in safety protocols that contributed to the tragedy. The ongoing inquiry aims to address these failures and seek justice for the affected families.