Doctor Regrets Not Reporting Lucy Letby Concerns to Police Sooner
A neonatologist involved in raising alarms about serial killer nurse Lucy Letby stated he wishes he had contacted the police earlier, expressing naivete about hospital management's response.
Dr. Stephen Brearey, the lead neonatal consultant at the Countess of Chester Hospital during the period when nurse Lucy Letby murdered seven infants and attempted to murder others, has stated he regrets not escalating his concerns about her actions to the police sooner. Brearey was speaking for the first time since the publication of the Thirlwall Inquiry report, which investigated the events at the hospital.
Brearey told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that he was naive to believe that senior hospital managers would act on his concerns with the same urgency he and other consultants felt. He described a "toxic negativity" within the NHS and called for a cultural shift in how concerns are raised and addressed. The hospital conducted internal reviews into a rise in infant deaths between 2015 and 2016 but did not involve Cheshire Police until May 2017.
"In retrospect, clearly, if we'd known what was ahead of us, we would have gone to the police earlier," Brearey stated. He also highlighted the lack of psychological support for staff at the time, describing the situation as colleagues supporting colleagues, likening it to soldiers in a battle zone being brought back to work without recovery, which led to retraumatization.
The Thirlwall Inquiry, launched in 2023 following Letby's convictions, found a "complete failure to protect babies" at the Countess of Chester Hospital's neonatal unit. Lady Justice Thirlwall's report noted a misunderstanding of safeguarding requirements when a staff member is suspected of deliberate harm, and detailed dysfunctional management and a gulf between leadership and clinicians.
The inquiry made 17 recommendations, including the installation of CCTV in neonatal units, restricted access to insulin, mandatory safeguarding training, and improved IT systems. Brearey believes these measures, if implemented earlier, would have either prevented or hastened the alarm regarding the unfolding events.
The hospital trust has issued an apology for the events of 2015 and 2016 and committed to implementing the report's recommendations, stating they are a "different organisation today" with new leadership and stronger safety processes. Former hospital executives involved have stated they are reviewing the report and will comment further after other ongoing investigations are completed.