Babies killed by Lucy Letby could have been saved, inquiry finds, as cot cameras to be fitted in wards

Some of the babies killed by Lucy Letby - one of Britain's most prolific child serial killers - could have been saved, a damning inquiry has found.

The long-awaited Thirlwall report was published on Tuesday, and it was widely damning of the Countess of Chester Hospital, where Letby carried out the killings between 2015 and 2016.

Lady Justice Thirlwall, author of the report, said: "There was a complete failure to protect babies on the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital."

Health Secretary Yvette Cooper said cot cameras would be fitted in baby wards following inquiry recommendations.

Lucy Letby inquiry as it happened

The report was incredibly critical of hospital executives, who it said "repeatedly failed" in their duties to parents and were more concerned with the hospital's reputation than the problems it faced.

The Countess also had a fundamental misunderstanding of when safeguarding was needed, the report warned, adding: "It is clear that some babies would have been saved and some attacks would have been prevented if action was taken earlier."

The report is very critical of the culture at Countess of Chester Hospital, especially the gulf between the nurses and doctors. It said that at the heart of this was "tribalism".

It said some senior nurses demonstrated an "unthinking loyalty" to Letby, resisting any accusations against her.

Parents were repeatedly left in the dark as to what was happening in the hospital related to investigations into attacks and the deaths of babies, the report sets out. It described communication with them as "dreadful".

"Parents… were not aware of any concerns that any individual had caused neonatal deaths and collapses at the Countess until Letby was arrested and police contacted them in July 2018," the report said.

It highlighted multiple instances when Letby's killings and attacks should have been stopped, but said a failure to take safeguarding action happened again and again.

It also highlighted further instances of "callous" behaviour from Letby herself. The report said she was ignoring management instructions she disliked and even shouted at her manager.

She also falsified medical records and one infant in her care was found covered in faeces by her mum, who said she was "disgusted" at the discovery.

Cot cameras

The report highlighted more than a dozen recommendations, several of which Health Secretary Yvette Cooper indicated would be taken on, as she vowed the report "must be a turning point for the NHS".

The first recommendation was to install in-cot cameras in neonatal units across NHS England.

Other recommendations include:

• Restrict access to insulin, which Letby used to inject into some babies, and record its use;
• Develop an NHS-wide suspicion of deliberate harm policy;
• Improve systems such as data monitoring,
• And put in place contractual obligations for staff to follow safeguarding.

Ms Cooper confirmed cot cameras would be installed and said they would update sudden and unexpected infant death guidance; strengthen neonatal expertise; improve real-time security alerts and said trusts had signed up to the National Bereavement Care Pathway for neonatal death.

'No apology can undo what happened'

In a written statement, Jane Tomkinson OBE, chief executive officer at the Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said "no apology or action can undo what happened at our hospital".

She went on: "We are however truly sorry for the events that occurred in 2015 and 2016. We acknowledge the findings of the Thirlwall Report and will approach its recommendations with openness and a firm commitment to build on the progress we have already made in improving our hospital's governance, safety and culture since that time."

Ms Tomkinson insisted the hospital was a "different organisation today".

'Meaningful and lasting change'

Three separate lawyers representing many of the families of Letby's victims spoke today.

Carla Duprey, from Bond Turner, said that what mattered now was that recommendations lead to "meaningful and lasting change".

Tamlin Bolton, a lawyer from Irwin Mitchell, said the inquiry report painted a "damning picture of what happens when concerns over patient safety are not listened to and acted on".

And Richard Scorer, head of abuse law and public inquiries at Slater and Gordon, echoed the other two, saying the recommendations couldn't be left to "gather dust".

Letby's lawyer has said it was "regrettable" she couldn't participate in the inquiry. Letby refused to come to her sentencing in 2023 and has had attempted appeals shot down.

Ongoing investigations

Cheshire Police has an ongoing investigation related to Letby's killings in the hospital.

Named Operation Duet, it began as an investigation into corporate manslaughter at Countess of Chester Hospital, focusing on senior leadership, before later being widened to include gross negligence manslaughter.

Three people, part of the hospital's senior team in 2015 and 2016, were arrested on 30 June last year, with a further arrest taking place after a property search in April this year for perverting the course of justice. All remain on bail.

(c) Sky News 2026: Babies killed by Lucy Letby could have been saved, inquiry finds, as cot cameras to be fi