Lucy Letby inquiry latest: Nurse’s ‘boyfriend’ doctor ‘put her before patients’

The families of Letby’s victims have been waiting years for answers. They have said that the government must fully implement the recommendations of the inquiry into the killer nurse.

Specialist medical negligence lawyers at Irwin Mitchell, representing seven children harmed by Lucy Letby, said the publication of the inquiry’s findings will be an important and difficult moment for everyone affected.

Tamlin Bolton, from Irwin Mitchell, said: “The publication of the Thirlwall Inquiry’s findings will likely be difficult reading for our clients and for everyone affected by Lucy Letby’s actions who have already had to go through both a criminal trial and several months of evidence for this Inquiry.

“For the families we represent, this Inquiry has always been about understanding how these devastating events were able to happen and ensuring that meaningful lessons are learned.

“While no system can guarantee the prevention of criminal acts by a determined individual, patients, families and clinicians are entitled to expect that their concerns will be listened to and that those concerns will be investigated properly and acted upon.”

She added: “The key questions are whether the systems, culture and governance within our NHS were sufficiently robust to identify risks and respond to them appropriately and where, in this instance, those systems have failed.

“With the families, we will consider Lady Justice Thirlwall’s findings carefully, but whatever the detail of the report, it is vital that lessons are learned and any recommendations are implemented by the UK Government so that confidence in patient safety is strengthened.

“Families need to have confidence that everything possible is being done to prevent similar failings happening again, whether in Chester or elsewhere in the NHS.”