Hospital bosses “shut down” concerns from senior doctors that Lucy Letby might be murdering babies on a neonatal unit, a retired police chief told a public inquiry.
Former Detective Chief Superintendent Nigel Wenham praised consultant paediatricians at the Countess of Chester Hospital for speaking out about the child serial killer nurse.
Letby was moved to clerical duties in July 2016 after the deaths of two triplet boys on successive days.
However, Cheshire Police were not called in by the hospital until May 2017, and there were plans shortly beforehand to return Letby to the unit.
Mr Wenham, a police member of the local Child Death Overview Panel (CDOP), said he was not aware until March 2017 of the increase in the number of infant deaths on the unit in the previous two years.
He later attended a CDOP meeting at the hospital with paediatricians and executives in late April 2017 in which the concerns were outlined, the Thirlwall Inquiry into the events surrounding Letby’s crimes was told.
Consultant Dr Ravi Jayaram was noted to have stated “one member of staff, concern Beverley Allitt” in reference to the nurse convicted of multiple murders of children in 1991.
He went on to say “particular nurse moved off nights … and then no incidents on nights”.
However, medical director Ian Harvey was noted to have said: “nurse full time, overtime, allocated sick and poorly babies” and “very hot unit, staff working under pressure”.
Counsel to the inquiry, Rachel Langdale KC, asked: “What was the impression you got from that meeting, did you appreciate the width of opinions?”
Mr Wenham said: “There was a difference in terms of the interpretations of the concerns. So maybe the executive team were a bit more satisfied things were being managed whereas some of the doctors present were clearly concerned.”
Following the meeting, hospital trust chief executive Tony Chambers wrote to then chief constable of Cheshire Police, Simon Byrne, on May 2.
Mr Chambers wrote: “I am writing formally requesting Cheshire Police conduct a forensic investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths with a view to excluding any unnatural causes.”
Alex Jamieson, representing families of Letby’s victims, said: “When you begin an investigation do you know where you are going to end up?”
Mr Wenham said: “No, I would not have used that language.”
Mr Jamieson said: “Those final words have no place in this letter, do they?”
Mr Wenham said: “They do not, no.”
The inquiry heard that Mr Wenham reflected that executives were “attempting to shut doors on the investigation as it was being considered”.
He recalled a “powerful meeting” with consultants Dr Jayaram, Dr Stephen Brearey and Dr Susie Holt on May 15.
He said: “They were completely professional in their presentation and they were knowledgeable and passionate about their work in the neonatal unit.
“They had some degree of frustration in the way they felt this situation had been reached and I felt that they were relieved that they could speak to the police about their concerns … and be listened to and believed.
“They were just very powerful in what they were saying. I think we owe all of them a great deal for coming forward and speaking out in the way they did.
“A lot of the doctors involved did raise concerns repeatedly but, sadly, they were shut down.”
Letby, 34, from Hereford, is serving 15 whole-life orders after she was convicted at Manchester Crown Court of murdering seven infants and attempting to murder seven others, with two attempts on one of her victims, between June 2015 and June 2016.
The inquiry, sitting at Liverpool Town Hall before Lady Justice Thirlwall, is expected to sit until early 2025, with findings published by late autumn of that year.
