Lucy Letby inquiry should be led by judge, committee chair says

A justice should pb the enquiry into the circumstances down Lucy Letby's attacks connected babies, the wellness prime committee president has told the BBC.

As it stands, the enquiry looking astatine the crimes volition not person the powerfulness to compel witnesses to springiness evidence.

Conservative MP Steve Brine said immoderate "may not beryllium truthful willing" to cooperate.

Meanwhile, the prosecution's pb aesculapian adept successful the lawsuit has said infirmary executives who failed to enactment should beryllium investigated by police.

Letby was recovered blameworthy of murdering 7 babies and attempting to execution six others astatine the Countess of Chester Hospital betwixt 2015 and 2016, pursuing a 10-month trial.

The caregiver was recovered not blameworthy of 2 attempted murders and the assemblage could not scope verdicts connected six others. She volition beryllium sentenced connected Monday.

The purpose of the abstracted non-statutory enquiry is to guarantee lessons are learned, the authorities has said.

But concerns person been raised by immoderate implicit however effectual it volition beryllium successful examining the case.

Some person called for a statutory enquiry with ineligible powers to compel witnesses to springiness evidence. Statutory inquiries are often led by a minister-appointed judge.

Non-statutory inquiries tin beryllium converted into statutory inquiries if they person been shown to origin nationalist concern.

"I deliberation a judge-led statutory enquiry is successful bid here," Mr Brine told BBC Radio 4's Broadcasting House programme.

"What I privation to see... is not a process that drags connected for years, an enquiry that tin vanish down a rabbit hole."

He added that a "proper judge-led" enquiry was the lone mode to guarantee nationalist confidence.

Jane Tomkinson, acting main enforcement serviceman astatine the Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said the spot welcomed the announcement of the autarkic enquiry and would beryllium supporting the ongoing probe by Cheshire Police.

"Due to ongoing ineligible considerations, it would not beryllium due for the Trust to marque immoderate further remark astatine this time," she said.

Cheshire Constabulary has been approached for comment.

Mr Brine is the latest to question the powers disposable to the enquiry successful its existent form.

Slater and Gordon, the instrumentality steadfast representing 2 of the families of babies attacked by Letby, said a non-statutory enquiry "is not bully enough" and lessons had to beryllium learned by the hospital, NHS and wider aesculapian profession.

Labour's City of Chester MP Samantha Dixon told the BBC that arsenic it stood the enquiry would person to trust connected "the goodwill of witnesses to attend".

But Dr Caroline Johnson, Conservative MP and advisor paediatrician, said lessons needed to beryllium learned rapidly and the authorities could determine to bid a statutory enquiry astatine a aboriginal day if other powers were needed.

Dr Bill Kirkup, who has led non-statutory reviews for different maternity units, said non-compliance had not been a occupation successful his acquisition and radical were "ready and consenting to cooperate".

The diligent information researcher told the BBC helium had identified communal features betwixt the Letby lawsuit and the reviews helium had conducted - including managers accused of "protecting reputations" supra listening to unit concerns.

After the verdict, Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said it was "extremely sorry" the crimes happened successful its infirmary and it had since made "significant changes" to their services.

Former main enforcement of the infirmary Tony Chambers and erstwhile aesculapian manager Ian Harvey, who were successful complaint astatine the clip Letby was moving astatine the hospital, person said they volition co-operate afloat with the inquiry.

Mr Chambers has besides told The Observer paper that helium took "prompt action" including to determination Letby disconnected the neonatal portion erstwhile concerns were archetypal escalated to him successful June 2016.

Dr Nigel Scawn, aesculapian manager astatine the Countess of Chester Hospital, said connected Friday: "Since Lucy Letby worked astatine our hospital, we person made important changes to our services and I privation to supply reassurance to each diligent that whitethorn entree our services that they tin person assurance successful the attraction that they volition receive."

Retired advisor paediatrician Dr Dewi Evans, who gave adept grounds during the trial, said helium believed the lawsuit demanded a transgression probe into firm manslaughter, successful comments archetypal made to the Observer.

He told the BBC helium intended to constitute to Cheshire Police to inquire it to analyse bosses for not acting connected the concerns of doctors.

"I mean to write...[to accidental I] judge we request to analyse the elder executives successful this infirmary for what successful my sentiment is gross dereliction of work and repeated failures to prosecute efficaciously with experienced elder aesculapian professionals," helium said.

"The NHS is simply a firm organisation with a main enforcement - they person a work of attraction to patients and staff. They failed patients and staff, and infirmary absorption should beryllium accountable to a disciplinary assemblage successful the aforesaid mode doctors are."