Doctor Dismisses Lucy Letby Inquiry Suggestion of Poisoner as ‘Fantastical’ and Unbelievable
A consultant paediatrician expressed regret at the Lucy Letby public inquiry for not alerting authorities about a suspected insulin poisoning case involving the nurse convicted of murdering seven babies.
The doctor, who cannot be named for legal reasons, admitted dismissing the idea of a poisoner in the neonatal unit where Letby worked as “so fantastical” it seemed unbelievable. She confessed that she deeply regrets not taking the possibility of deliberate harm seriously when blood tests showed high levels of insulin in a baby known as Child F.
Letby, who was found guilty of murder and attempted murder of infants between June 2015 and June 2016, is currently serving a life sentence. The babies all died at the Countess of Chester Hospital’s neonatal unit.
As the inquiry looks into the case, concerns have been raised about the safety of Letby’s conviction, but the focus is on examining the NHS’s role and learning lessons from the tragedy.
The doctor in question, referred to as Dr. ZA, revealed that she had dismissed the possibility of deliberate insulin administration due to its seeming impossibility. However, she acknowledged that she should have taken action and informed the parents of Child F about the abnormal results.
Over time, ZA grew suspicious of Letby potentially harming babies on the unit. These concerns were eventually brought to the hospital’s senior management, leading to Letby being moved to non-patient duties and an external review being commissioned.
The doctor recalled facing hostility from hospital management when raising concerns about Letby’s behavior. Despite the challenges, she remained steadfast in her conviction that Letby needed to be removed from her position to ensure patient safety.
The inquiry is ongoing, with findings expected to be released by late 2025.
