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The Thirlwall Inquiry begins today with opening statements from Counsel to the Inquiry and Core Participants. The Inquiry is chaired by Lady Justice Thirlwall and follows the conviction of Lucy Letby, a former neonatal nurse, on seven counts of murder and eight counts of attempted murder in respect of babies in her care.
Over the coming weeks the Inquiry will hear evidence from a range of sources including parents, healthcare professionals and managers at the Countess of Chester Hospital, oversight and regulatory bodies, and expert witnesses. It will investigate:
1. The experiences of the parents and babies named in the indictment as they relate to the Countess of Chester Hospital and other relevant NHS services.
2. The conduct of those working at the Countess of Chester Hospital, including the board, managers, doctors, nurses and midwives with regard to the actions of Lucy Letby while she was employed there and subsequently, including:
(a) whether suspicions should have been raised earlier, whether Lucy Letby should have been suspended earlier and whether the police and other external bodies should have been informed sooner of suspicions about her.
(b) the responses from those with management responsibilities within the trust to concerns raised about Lucy Letby.
(c) whether the trust’s culture, management and governance structures and processes contributed to the failure to protect babies from Lucy Letby.
3. The effectiveness of NHS management and governance structures and processes, external scrutiny and professional regulation in keeping babies in hospital safe, whether changes are necessary and, if so, what those changes should be, including how the accountability of senior managers should be strengthened. This will include a broader consideration of NHS culture.
The Inquiry’s full Terms of Reference can be found here.
Jason Beer KC is instructed on behalf of NHS England.
Jonathan Dixey, Robert Cohen and Jennifer Wright are instructed on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care.
Amy Clarke is instructed on behalf of the Chief Constable of Cheshire.
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