Ex-boss of Lucy Letby suspended from new role at Greater Manchester hospital

The ex-boss of Lucy Letby has been suspended from her new role as an executive at one of Greater Manchester’s biggest hospital trusts, for ‘failing to act’, following the trial.

Alison Kelly worked at the Countess of Chester Hospital as chief nurse while Lucy Letby, 33, murdered seven babies and attempted to kill six more infants under her care in the neonatal unit, between June 2015 and June 2016.

Ms Kelly has now been suspended from her new position as director of nursing for Rochdale Care Organisation, part of the Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Salford Royal Hospital, Rochdale Infirmary, Fairfield General Hospital and the Royal Oldham Hospital.

Nicky Clarke, Chief People Officer at Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust, confirmed the news but declined to make ‘any further comment at this moment in time’.

An NHS England spokesperson said: “We welcome the independent inquiry announced by the Department of Health and Social Care into the events at the Countess of Chester and will cooperate fully to help ensure all lessons are learned.

“In light of information that has emerged during the trial of Lucy Letby, and the announcement of the independent inquiry, the Northern Care Alliance has suspended Alison Kelly.”

Letby, who is now considered the most prolific child killer of modern times, was sentenced on Monday, August 21st, to a whole life sentence after a lengthy 10-month trial. She will never be released from prison.

During the trial, prosecutors described Letby as a ‘calculated opportunist’ who used the vulnerabilities of premature and sick infants to help mask her acts. 

Between 2015 and 2016, while Letby worked on the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital, there was a significant rise in the numbers of babies who suffered serious and unexpected collapses.

Letby was the only member of the nursing and clinical staff who was on duty each time the collapses happened, which the Crown argued were not natural events. She deliberately injected babies with air, poisoned two with insulin, and force fed others.

Staff raised concerns with bosses but those warnings were ignored, as the Sunday Times reported how, as early as March 2016, Ms Kelly was made aware of concerns by the neonatal ward manager about Letby being a ‘commonality’ in all of the deaths. 

But staff were told not to ‘make a fuss’ and Letby continued to work on the neonatal unit despite the warnings. Then in July 2016 Letby was completely removed from working on the neonatal unit and moved to the hospital’s risk and patient safety office, never to return to the unit.

Ms Kelly, who has ‘over 30 years experience as a nurse’, is one of three directors from the Countess of Chester who have been publicly criticised, alongside retired former medical director Ian Harvey and former chief executive Tony Chamber.

The Sunday Times has also reported how after a crucial board meeting, held in January 2017, amid concerns about the deaths and collapses at the Countess of Chester, Letby had a victim statement read out to the board.

Non-executive director James Wilkie went to Ms Kelly, who was then the director of nursing, with further concerns, which she promised to escalate.

After Letby was removed from the unit, almost a year passed by before police were brought in. 

Letby denied the offences but was convicted at Manchester Crown Court.

On Friday, Dr Nigel Scawn, Medical Director at the Countess of Chester Hospital, said: “Since Lucy Letby worked at our hospital, we have made significant changes to our services and I want to provide reassurance to every patient that may access our services that they can have confidence in the care that they will receive.”