Former Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries has asserted that nurse Lucy Letby was made a scapegoat for broader failings within the UK's National Health Service (NHS) maternity and neonatal units. Dorries, who previously served as minister for patient safety, stated that she was frequently informed of avoidable baby deaths during her tenure, encountering significant resistance from NHS leadership when attempting to address these issues.
In an interview, parents Carl and Clare Bolton recounted their experience at the Countess of Chester Hospital's neonatal unit in May 2016, where their daughter Jessica received care. They described the unit as chaotic, understaffed, and under-equipped. According to Carl Bolton, Letby, who was the lead nurse at the time, went "above and beyond the call of duty" on two occasions when their daughter deteriorated unexpectedly. The couple perceived Letby as competent and attentive amidst the unit's struggles.
Dorries highlighted that during her two years as minister responsible for patient safety, the Countess of Chester Hospital was never brought to her attention by Department of Health or NHS officials, even during the period when Letby was arrested and released twice. Dorries suggested this omission might have been because she would have investigated further, visited the hospital, or questioned why a single nurse was being investigated for a spike in baby deaths while national systemic failings were already a known scandal. She questioned why doctors and managers were not also investigated.
The Boltons also reported experiencing obstruction when they attempted to voice grave concerns about the Chester neonatal unit to the police, the hospital, and Letby's defense team, stating "Nobody wanted to know." They have come forward inspired by a recent inquiry into Nottingham maternity services, believing ordinary families can compel institutions to confront difficult questions.
Dorries indicated that as Letby's trial unfolded and questions arose about the conviction for murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven more, she became convinced of Letby's innocence. This conviction, she stated, stemmed from her ministerial experiences and observations of systemic NHS failures, leading her to believe Letby was unfairly blamed.
Currently, the Criminal Cases Review Commission is reviewing Letby's case for a potential retrial, based on new evidence presented by an international panel of neonatology experts. Dorries commented that a decision from the commission is needed soon for Letby, who is now 36.
In unrelated commentary, Dorries also discussed the ongoing search for the next James Bond actor, advocating for James Norton. She expressed a desire for the role to be cast with a "white Englishman" to remain true to Ian Fleming's original vision and avoid what she termed a "woke trap."