- Government announces inquiry into murders and attempted
murders at Countess of Chester hospital will become statutory
- After listening to the views of families of the victims, the
move will give the inquiry legal powers which include compelling
witnesses to give evidence under oath
- The inquiry will look at the circumstances surrounding the
murders and attempted murders committed by Lucy Letby
The inquiry into circumstances around the horrific crimes
committed by former neonatal nurse, Lucy Letby, will become
statutory, the Health and Social Care Secretary announced today (Friday 30
August).
While statutory inquiries traditionally take longer to conclude
than non-statutory inquiries, moving to a statutory footing will
mean the inquiry will have legal powers to compel witnesses,
including former and current staff of the Countess of Chester
Hospital Trust, to give evidence. It will also mean that evidence
must be heard in public, unless the Inquiry Chair decides
otherwise.
Announced shortly after Letby was convicted of murdering and
attempting to murder babies at the Countess of Chester Hospital,
it will ensure vital lessons are learned and will provide answers
to the parents and families impacted.
The Health and Social Care Secretary has been clear from the
outset that he wants the families impacted in this tragic case to
have the opportunity to engage with and shape the scope of the
inquiry. Following a meeting with them yesterday, the government
has acted swiftly to respect their wishes and put the inquiry on
a legal footing.
Health and Social Care Secretary said:
The crimes committed by Lucy Letby are truly harrowing, and my
thoughts remain with the families of her victims.
Following her conviction, we announced an inquiry and said the
nature of this inquiry would be shaped by the families.
Having now discussed this with the families, we will launch a
full statutory inquiry giving it the legal powers to compel
witnesses to give evidence.
This statutory public inquiry will aim to give the families the
answers they need and ensure lessons are learned.
The statutory inquiry will investigate the wider circumstances
around what happened at the Trust, including the handling of
concerns and governance. It will also look at what actions were
taken by regulators and the wider NHS.
We will publish the inquiry’s terms of reference - setting out
the scope of the work - in due course.
The government has indicated that it will look to appoint a judge
to chair the inquiry, and the Health and Social Care Secretary is
working with colleagues across government to identify a suitable
candidate as soon as possible.
