As the public inquiry into the events at the Countess of Chester Hospital begins, the families of Lucy Letby’s victims are determined to seek answers and prevent future incidents from occurring. Representing the majority of the families involved, Tamlin Bolton, a senior associate solicitor in Switalskis Clinical Negligence department, emphasises the importance of this inquiry, which will delve into the failures that allowed such crimes to occur.

The Thirlwall Inquiry, chaired by Lady Justice Thirlwall, has been established to thoroughly investigate what transpired within the hospital where Lucy Letby, now convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven more, worked as a neonatal nurse. The inquiry will examine the conduct of hospital staff at the time and scrutinise the timeline of events, particularly at whether concerns should have been raised earlier, if Letby should have been suspended sooner, and why the police were not involved before they were called

Switalskis represents six of the affected families, who are not just looking for answers but are calling for systemic changes to ensure these tragedies can never be allowed to happen again. The inquiry presents a vital opportunity to ensure that the NHS as a whole learns from those identified failings and implements robust mechanisms.

Among the specific requests from the families are three key measures:

• The installation of CCTV in all neonatal wards
• Tighter control over the administration of potentially harmful drugs such as insulin.
• Stronger protections for NHS whistleblowers.

These measures are said to be essential to safeguarding the most vulnerable patients and ensuring that all healthcare professionals can raise concerns without fear of sanction.

In the opening statement provided on Thursday 12 September, on behalf of the families it was said that: “The facts and issues to be investigated in the inquiry are of deep concern to each individual family whose baby or babies were killed or attacked by Letby at the Countess of Chester Hospital (CoCH).”

Adding, “…beyond the families whose lives have been devastated by the events at the CoCH, the facts and issues in this inquiry are also of profound concern to every family who has used or will use NHS maternity and paediatric services.”

Despite ongoing speculation in the media and online about Lucy Letby’s conviction, the team at Switalskis urges the public to respect the court’s judgment.

Our colleague Tamlin comments: “Those who’ve had sight of the full remit of evidence, the jurors and the court of appeal have all maintained her guilt, and anything outside of that, where you haven’t read, seen or heard all of the evidence, is just speculation .”

While painful for the families, this inquiry is a necessary process. The team at Switalskis is committed to ensuring that the inquiry results in greater transparency, accountability, and protection for those who rely on the NHS. The lessons learned from this tragedy must lead to real and lasting change so that no other family has to suffer as these families have.

Contact us for support

If you have been affected, contact our specialist medical negligence lawyers on 0800 138 0458 or email help@switalskis.com . Alternatively, you can contact us through our website to arrange for a call back. We are here to stand by your side and ensure that your voice is heard.