Health inspectors were not told of concerns about unexplained deaths at a hospital’s neonatal unit where Lucy Letby worked, a public inquiry has heard. A team from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) watchdog carried out a routine inspection of the Countess of Chester Hospital over four days in February 2016.

The Care Quality Commission were not told of concerns about unexplained deaths at the Countess of Chester Hospital’s neonatal unit where Letby worked. | ITV News Granada

Inspectors from a healthcare watchdog were not told of concerns about unexplained and unexpected deaths at the hospital child killer Lucy Letby worked at, a public inquiry has heard.

The Thirlwall Inquiry heard that ‘lots of rumours’ were going around after the nurse was removed from the neonatal unit in July 2016.

Two senior managers at the Countess of Chester Hospital were “disbelieving” of concerns raised by doctors that nurse Lucy Letby could be deliberately harming babies, a public inquiry has heard. Medical director Ian Harvey and director of nursing Alison Kelly were interviewed by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) as part of an independent probe ordered by the health trust in response to the allegations.