NHS manager fails to address concerns about nurse referred to watchdog

author: FutureCar Staff    

The nursing regulator for the UK is investigating Alison Kelly, the former boss of Lucy Letby, who has been accused of ignoring concerns about the serial killer. Kelly, who was the director of nursing at the Countess of Chester Hospital before leaving in 2021, has been suspended from her current role as the Director of Nursing for Rochdale Care Organisation. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has referred her to the fitness to practise process and will take action if necessary.

Lucy Letby, 33, was recently found guilty of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder six more between June 2015 and June 2016. She was given a whole-life sentence at Manchester Crown Court. During the trial, it was revealed that several consultants had raised concerns about Letby's association with collapsing babies as early as 2015. Letby had filed a grievance against her employer, which was ruled in her favor, leading to apologies and mediation from senior doctors.

Dr. Stephen Brearey, one of the consultants involved, expressed the need for hospital administrators to be held accountable in the same way as medical professionals. He highlighted the lack of apparent accountability and system for senior managers, who can easily move to other trusts without justifying their actions. The government plans to conduct an independent inquiry into the circumstances surrounding Letby's crimes to ensure that crucial lessons are learned. There are calls for the probe to be given legal powers to compel witnesses to come forward and provide evidence.

FutureCar Staff