Lucy Letby inquiry live: Killer nicknamed ‘nurse death’ by doctors but hospital still didn’t call police
Lucy Letby was nicknamed “nurse death” by junior doctors after she was removed from duties on the neo-natal ward at Countess of Chester Hospital, a public inquiry heard on Wednesday.
But despite staff concerns, hospital bosses still did not contact police until eight months later.
This year, the child serial killer was sentenced to 15 whole-life orders after she was convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven others on the ward in 2015 and 2016.
In September 2016 – two months after Letby was switched to clerical work – the Royal Collage of Paediatrics and Child Health was invited to carry out a review at the hospital, although not all members of the team were aware of the nurse before the visit.
The inquiry, chaired by Lady Justice Thirlwall, was told that notes of the team’s initial interview with former medical director Ian Harvey recorded him highlighting Letby.
The notes recorded Mr Harvey as saying: “Had to intervene with the neonatal lead as junior doctors had been referring to her as ‘nurse death’.
“Ripples through the team….. can’t see how to conclude without calling the police.”
