Kate Blackwell KC and Alexandra Tampakopoulos appear at the Thirlwall Inquiry

The Thirlwall Public Inquiry was set up to examine events at the Countess of Chester Hospital and their implications following the trial, and subsequent convictions, of former neonatal nurse Lucy Letby of murder and attempted murder of babies at the hospital.

The Inquiry will investigate three areas:

A) The experiences of the Countess of Chester Hospital and other relevant NHS services, of all the parents of the babies named in the Letby indictment.

B) The conduct of those working at the Countess of Chester Hospital, including the board, managers, doctors, nurses and midwives with regard to the actions of Lucy Letby while she was employed there as a neonatal nurse and subsequently, including:

(i) whether suspicions should have been raised earlier, whether Lucy Letby should have been suspended earlier and whether the police and other external bodies should have been informed sooner of suspicions about her

(ii) the responses to concerns raised about Lucy Letby from those with management responsibilities within the trust

(iii) whether the trust’s culture, management and governance structures and processes contributed to the failure to protect babies from Lucy Letby

C) The effectiveness of NHS management and governance structures and processes, external scrutiny and professional regulation in keeping babies in hospital safe and well looked after, whether changes are necessary and, if so, what they should be, including how accountability of senior managers should be strengthened. This section will include a consideration of NHS culture.

Kate Blackwell KC and Alexandra Tampakopoulos represent the Senior Managers in post between 2015 and 2018. The Inquiry commences this week and is expected to last until December.

Counsel were instructed by Anna Naylor of Weightmans supported by Rosanne McNeil and Lily Grundy.