- Health and Social Care Secretary publishes terms of reference
for inquiry following murders and attempted murders committed by
former neonatal nurse Lucy Letby
- Inquiry will look at experiences of families of all the
babies named in the indictment; conduct of staff at the
Countess of Chester Hospital, part of the Countess of Chester
Hospital NHS Foundation Trust; effectiveness of NHS management
and governance structures; and NHS culture
- Inquiry has powers to compel witnesses to produce evidence
and is chaired by Lady Justice Thirlwall, one of the country’s
most senior and experienced judges
Health and Social Care Secretary has today (Thursday 19
October) published the terms of reference for the statutory
inquiry following the horrific murders and attempted murders
committed by Lucy Letby.
The inquiry is being set up at pace to ensure vital lessons are
learned and provide answers to the parents and families impacted
as soon as possible.
Letby was convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to
kill six others at the Countess of Chester Hospital. She
committed these crimes while working as a neonatal nurse at the
Countess of Chester Hospital between June 2015 and June 2016.
Health and Social Care Secretary said:
“Losing a child is the greatest sorrow any parent can experience,
and I cannot begin to imagine the hurt and suffering experienced
by the families affected by Lucy Letby’s horrific crimes.
“We have a duty to get them the answers they deserve, to hold
people to account where they need to be, and to make sure lessons
are learned.
“These terms of reference have been agreed following engagement
with the families, and I am confident Lady Justice Thirlwall will
ensure their voices are heard as the inquiry gets underway.”
The terms of reference are set by the Health and Social Care
Secretary after consultation with the judge, who has engaged with
the families and other stakeholders.
The inquiry will cover three broad areas:
- The experiences of the parents of the babies named in the
indictment
- The conduct of clinical and non-clinical staff and
management, as well as governance and escalation processes in
relation to concerns being raised about Letby and whether these
structures contributed to the failure to protect babies from her
- The effectiveness of governance, external scrutiny and
professional regulation in keeping babies in hospital safe,
including consideration of NHS culture
It will not review the jury’s verdicts and will make no findings
regarding liability in civil proceedings.
The government confirmed in August 2023 that the inquiry would be
placed on a statutory footing. This means it will have legal
powers to compel witnesses, including former and current staff of
the Countess of Chester, to give evidence. It also means evidence
must be heard in public, unless the Chair decides otherwise.
Lady Justice Thirlwall is one of the country’s most senior judges
and currently sits in the Court of Appeal. She has many years of
experience as a senior judge and barrister.
As Chair, she will decide on the order in which the inquiry
considers issues and how to manage the inquiry alongside any live
police investigation and any criminal proceedings – whether that
be retrials, trials, or an appeal.
The Chair will provide a final report, and if appropriate,
interim reports as soon as practically possible.
The inquiry is currently setting up its infrastructure at pace so
that it can begin its investigations.
The full terms of reference can be found here: Thirlwall Inquiry: terms of
reference - GOV.UK (publishing.service.gov.uk)
