Lucy Letby: What’s next for the NHS following latest conviction for baby killer Lucy Letby?

The NHS will face scrutiny over alleged failures to take heed to whistleblowers’ warnings about child killer Lucy Letby after the nurse was convicted of one other tried homicide.

Letby was convicted of attempting to homicide a “very untimely” toddler by dislodging her respiration tube within the early hours of February 17 2016 on Tuesday, following a retrial at Manchester Crown Courtroom.

The 34 year-old’s newest conviction comes after she was discovered responsible of the murders of seven infants and the tried murders of six others on the Countess of Chester Hospital’s neo-natal unit between June 2015 and June 2016, following her authentic trial final August.

The previous nurse was given a uncommon whole-life order, making her one in all Britain’s most prolific youngster serial killers. She is because of be sentenced for the additional offence on Friday.

Throughout the retrial, a jury was advised that she intentionally dislodged Baby Ok’s respiration tube and was “caught just about red-handed” by advisor paediatrician Dr Ravi Jayaram when he walked into the unit’s intensive care nursery room.

Beneath we take a look at what occurs now that Letby has been discovered responsible once more.

In October final 12 months, Cheshire Constabulary introduced it had launched an investigation into potential company manslaughter involving the Countess of Chester Hospital. Police are trying into the hospital’s senior management and its choices made in relation to Lucy Letby.

Detective superintendent Simon Blackwell, who’s strategic lead for Operation Hummingbird, stated: “The investigation, which is ongoing, focuses on the indictment interval of the fees for Lucy Letby, from June 2015 to June 2016, and is contemplating areas together with senior management and determination making to find out whether or not any criminality has taken place. The investigation is complicated and delicate and particular updates concerning progress shall be issued on the applicable time. At this stage we’re not investigating any people in relation to gross negligence manslaughter.

“We recognise that this investigation has a big impression on a variety of totally different stakeholders together with the households on this case and we wish to reassure that we’re dedicated to finishing up an intensive investigation. Since Letby’s authentic convictions in August 2023 it has been a really busy interval for the investigation staff. This has included a subsequent enchantment, the re-trial for one rely of tried homicide and the launch of the statutory public inquiry that Cheshire Constabulary is helping with.”

Public inquiry to take a look at how nurse was in a position to kill

Woman Justice Thirlwall was appointed by the federal government to chair a statutory public inquiry following Letby’s conviction in August 2023, and public hearings are set to start in September.

A core a part of the inquiry’s remit shall be to take a look at the conduct of these working on the Countess of Chester Hospital, together with the board, managers, medical doctors, nurses and midwives whereas Letby was employed on the belief. The inquiry will take a look at whether or not suspicions ought to have been raised about Lucy Letby earlier and whether or not she ought to have been suspended sooner.

Following her arrest in 2018, the belief commissioned an unbiased overview into any attainable failings by the belief management which has since been accomplished. The report shall be examined by the Thirlwall Inquiry.

Within the fallout following her conviction final 12 months, a number of medical doctors got here ahead claiming to have raised issues to the executives over Letby earlier than she was arrested, which they argue had been ignored by senior leaders throughout the NHS belief.

Dr Jayaram is among the consultants to publicly come ahead with claims he raised issues in regards to the nurse.

4 former board executives from the Countess of Chester had been named in whistleblowers’ studies and have been named as “core individuals” within the Thirlwall Inquiry, they’re; former chief government Tony Chambers, former medical director Ian Harvey, former nursing director Alison Kelly and former director of HR Sue Hodkinson.

Ms Kelly, who’s a registered nurse, has been referred to the UK’s regulator the Nursing and Midwifery Council. Nonetheless, the regulator’s investigation won’t conclude till the Thirlwall Inquiry ends.

The inquiry has additionally been requested to look extra broadly on the effectiveness of NHS administration and exterior our bodies similar to skilled regulators in conserving infants protected in hospital. It would take a look at whether or not adjustments are wanted and take into account the NHS’s tradition extra broadly.

As a part of its work, the inquiry commissioned a survey, carried out by charity Picker, which has been despatched to greater than 120 NHS trusts and obtained greater than 7,500 responses in regards to the working relationships and tradition inside neonatal models.

Assume tank the Nuffield Belief has been tasked with reviewing and analysing the outcomes of questionnaires despatched out to each medical director and senior non-clinical managers for each neo-natal unit within the nation.

The evaluation may also take a look at the reporting and managing of issues, assist for the bereaved, and present follow and procedures in neo-natal models to maintain infants protected.