Key occasions
The inquiry’s phrases of reference can be found on the web site, and as acknowledged earlier, the three areas it would deal with are:
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The experiences of the Countess of Chester hospital (CoC) and different related NHS providers, of all of the mother and father of the infants named within the indictment
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The conduct of these working on the CoC, together with the board, managers, docs, nurses and midwives with regard to the actions of Lucy Letby whereas she was employed there as a neonatal nurse and subsequently
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The effectiveness of NHS administration and governance buildings and processes, exterior scrutiny {and professional} regulation in conserving infants in hospital secure and nicely sorted, whether or not modifications are crucial and, if that’s the case, what they need to be, together with how accountability of senior managers must be strengthened. This part will embody a consideration of NHS tradition
The inquiry printed what it described as a “non-exhaustive” listing of 30 questions to look at, which may be discovered right here. Key amongst them are questions on what occurred within the hospital at a time when questions had been being raised, together with:
What considerations had been raised and when concerning the conduct of Letby? By whom had been they raised? What was completed?
Ought to considerations, together with about hospital or medical information, have been raised sooner than they had been? When? What ought to have been completed then?
Have been current processes and procedures for elevating considerations used, together with whistleblowing and freedom to talk up guardians? Have been they satisfactory?
What the inquiry won’t be doing is re-examine the convictions of Letby for homicide and tried homicide.
Jamie Grierson
Talking forward of the listening to, Tamlin Bolton, a senior affiliate solicitor at Switalskis, which is representing households of the victims, stated: “The families that Switalskis represent have been through unimaginable heartbreak and distress. The facts and issues to be investigated in this inquiry are of deep concern to each individual family whose baby or babies were killed or attacked by Lucy Letby.
“Their babies were born, harmed and died in 2015 and 2016 and they have already endured many years of anguish, yet this inquiry will be the first time that they will hear evidence as to how Letby was allowed to harm as many as 18 babies before she was removed from the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester hospital.
“The facts and issues in this inquiry should also be of profound concern to every family who has used or will use NHS maternity, neonatal or paediatric services and to the wider public who need to have confidence in patient safety. For the families we represent, that confidence has been shattered.”
9 months in the past, Girl Justice Thirlwall and the inquiry printed her opening assertion, which is on the market on video.
In it, she stated:
Everyone knows that there have been many inquiries into occasions in hospitals and different well being care settings over the past thirty years. The case of Beverley Allitt who murdered infants at Grantham hospital within the Nineties involves thoughts. Everybody was decided that it will not occur once more. It has occurred once more. That is totally unacceptable. I wish to know what suggestions had been made in all these inquiries, I wish to know whether or not they had been carried out? What distinction did they make? The place does accountability lie for errors which are made?
Nobody can argue with the proposition that infants in neonatal models should be stored secure and nicely cared for. What is required is the sensible software of that proposition in all places. In lots of models it would require profound modifications in relationships and tradition. This will not be straightforward to realize however it’s crucial and lengthy overdue. The boundaries to vary should be recognized if that hasn’t been completed already and people boundaries should be eliminated. The place there may be good follow, that should be shared. Bringing about crucial change would require the cooperation and can of all those that are concerned in and who’re accountable for the infants in our neonatal models – from the ward to the boardroom. The inquiry depends on that cooperation as we work on this profoundly essential activity.
The mother and father of the infants who had been murdered or suffered accidents, some lifelong, stay with the results every single day. On high of their grievous loss they endured years of uncertainty about what had precipitated demise or harm. And for some, uncertainty stays. All have made it plain to me that they wish to do all they will to ensure that nobody else suffers as they do. I’ve already talked about one of many strategies they’ve made as to how this can be achieved. With the assistance of the inquiry group and all those that will contribute to the inquiry I’ll do all I can to ensure that nobody else suffers as they’ve. It’s unconscionable that this case would ever happen once more.
A full transcript of the opening assertion from November 2023 may be discovered right here.
Felicity Lawrence
There have been some requires the inquiry to be postponed or for its phrases of reference to be modified. Felicity Lawrence reported this for the Guardian in August:
A bunch together with among the UK’s main neonatal specialists and professors of statistics is asking on the federal government to postpone or change the phrases of a public inquiry over considerations concerning the conviction of the neonatal nurse Lucy Letby.
In a non-public letter to ministers, seen by the Guardian, the 24 specialists stated they had been involved that the inquiry’s slim phrases may stop classes being realized about “possible negligent deaths that were presumed to be murders” within the neonatal ward of the Countess of Chester hospital (CoC).
Regardless of the convictions and court docket of attraction choice, there was a small however rising variety of specialists elevating considerations concerning the proof introduced at trial. A number of got here ahead in an article printed by the Guardian in July, expressing considerations that Letby’s conviction was unsafe.
Learn extra right here: Lucy Letby inquiry must be postponed or modified, specialists say
In contrast to different latest public inquiries, like that into the dealing with of the Covid pandemic or the Submit Workplace Horizon IT scandal, the Thirlwall inquiry just isn’t being streamed stay to the general public.
Core members and restricted sections of the media have been granted entry. At a preliminary listening to for the inquiry in Could legal professionals for the households of the victims argued that the proceedings must be livestreamed to the general public, partially to “combat conspiracy theories”. Nonetheless, in a judgment later that month Girl Justice Thirlwall dominated towards it.
A part of the reasoning given within the judgment was that there was a danger of court docket orders being breached in the course of the proceedings. On the preliminary listening to, Rachel Langdale KC, counsel to the inquiry, stated court docket orders that prevented the identification of numerous folks concerned, together with all the infants, needed to be complied with.
Jamie Grierson and Josh Halliday have this explainer on the inquiry:
The Thirlwall inquiry has been set as much as look at occasions on the Countess of Chester hospital and their implications after Lucy Letby’s trial and subsequent convictions for murdering seven infants and making an attempt to kill seven extra.
The three key areas being checked out by the inquiry are: the experiences of the victims’ mother and father; the conduct of employees on the hospital with regard to Letby when she was employed on the hospital; and the effectiveness of NHS administration.
The inquiry is chaired by Girl Justice Kathryn Thirlwall, a senior court docket of attraction choose. The counsel to the inquiry is Rachel Langdale KC. Previously the main counsel for a core participant within the Mid-Staffordshire NHS basis belief public inquiry, she has additionally acted for native authorities and people in inquiries regarding safeguarding and youngsters in care.
Among the many core members are the households of the youngsters named on the indictment, who shall be represented by authorized groups. Others embody the Royal Faculty of Paediatrics and Youngster Well being, the Division for Well being and Social Care, the Countess of Chester hospital NHS basis belief, the Nursing and Midwifery Council, the Care High quality Fee and NHS England.
The primary week will see opening statements from the counsel to the Inquiry and from authorized representatives on behalf of the core members.
Welcome and opening abstract …
As we speak at Liverpool city corridor the Thirlwall inquiry will start every week of listening to opening statements, because it seeks to look at how former nurse Lucy Letby was capable of homicide infants over a interval of two years on the Countess of Chester hospital’s neonatal unit.
Letby, 34, was sentenced to fifteen whole-life orders after she was convicted of murdering seven infants and making an attempt to homicide seven others throughout two separate trials.
The inquiry, chaired by Girl Justice Thirlwall, will contemplate the experiences of the mother and father of Letby’s victims, look into the conduct of employees on the hospital and assess whether or not suspicions ought to have been raised earlier, whether or not Letby ought to have been suspended earlier and whether or not the police ought to have been introduced in sooner.
The inquiry will look at wider NHS tradition and contemplate the effectiveness of its administration and governance buildings. It’s anticipated to final about 4 months, with a report back to be launched subsequent yr.
We’ll convey you updates from the opening day of the inquiry right here.
