Health Ombudsman accuses Countess of Chester hospital of cover-up over serial killer Lucy Letby
Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman Rob Behrens spoke to ITV Granada Reports presenters Lucy Meacock and Andy Bonner
The Countess of Chester has been accused of a cover-up after numerous consultants raised concerns about serial killer nurse Lucy Letby before she was caught.
Rob Behrens, the NHS Ombudsman, published a letter written to the Health Secretary asking for a wider review into the culture and leadership in the NHS.
It follows concerns some paediatricians were made to apologise to Letby after raising concerns about her with senior managers.
Mr Behrens says this amounted to a "cover-up" at the Countess of Chester Hospital.
He said: “Clearly that is what happened, on this occasion the deaths were intentional. That happens very exceptionally.
“We know from the evidence in court that for two years, clinicians were raising patent safety issues about the baby unit and they were not listened to.
"They were forced to apologise for the distress they caused her. It is a cover-up, it prevented an investigation by the police for two years after it could have begun."
The Government has already set up an independent inquiry after Letby was given a whole-life sentence in prison after being found guilty of murdering of seven babies and attempting to murder six more.
It will probe the events on the Countess of Chester Hospital’s neonatal unit between 2015 and 2016.
“The big need is to change the culture from being defensive to majoring on patient safety which is what it’s supposed to do," Mr Behrens added.
“The big problem is when people raise patient safety issues we know they are blocked, threatened and bullied from taking it further.
“This is an issue we have seen time and again from reports in independent inquiries across the country. When people try to disclose, they are blocked and discouraged.
“Whistleblowers themselves do not believe they are safe to go public. Those that do are in for a long and very difficult road because the law on whistleblowing is too weak and too much in favour against the body who has blown the whistle.
“I think the whistleblowers behaved with great integrity. They were very strong. When you consider they were threatened and bullied, they didn’t stop raising the issue.
“The only question is whether they should have gone to the police sooner.”
But, in his letter to Mr Barclay, Mr Behrens said while Letby alone was responsible for her actions, he warned the NHS needed to learn from the "culture of fear" which was created.
He called for a statutory inquiry to compel witnesses to give evidence.
“My admiration and respect for the families knows no bounds. They are still needed to participate in the inquiry and that is a very difficult thing to do.
“If we do not make this a defining moment in history of the health service, we will not be doing justice to those that died.
“My powers as ombudsman are outdated, they leave me out of line with my European counterparts.”
In an earlier statement, Jane Tomkinson, Acting Chief Executive Officer at the Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Following the trial of former neonatal nurse Lucy Letby, the Trust welcomes the announcement of an independent inquiry by the Department of Health and Social Care.
"In addition, the trust will be supporting the ongoing investigation by Cheshire Police.
"Due to ongoing legal considerations, it would not be appropriate for the Trust to make any further comment at this time."
As Lucy Letby becomes the most prolific serial child killer in modern Britain, Granada Reports examines how she managed to slip under the radar for so long.