Nursing boss accused of failing to act while Lucy Letby murdered babies suspended

21 August 2023, 10:08 | Updated: 21 August 2023, 10:18

The woman in charge of nursing at the hospital when Lucy Letby murdered seven babies and tried to kill six more has been suspended from her current position, NHS England has confirmed.

Alison Kelly has been accused of failing to act when doctors raised concerns about Letby. Her trial heard how warnings about her behaviour were ignored by Ms Kelly and other senior figures at the hospital.

Ms Kelly had since moved to be director of nursing at Northern Care Alliance but she has now been suspended from that role.

An NHS England spokesperson confirmed: "In light of information that has emerged during the trial of Lucy Letby, and the announcement of the independent inquiry, the Northern Care Alliance has suspended Alison Kelly.”

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Ms Kelly led nursing at the Countess of Chester hospital during Letby's time there. During Letty’s trial she was accused of failing to act on concerns raised by doctors. 

Ms Kelly was first told in July 2015 that Letby was the only nurse on shift when three babies died in the space of two weeks. 

Letby went on to murder four more babies after concerns were first raised with Ms Kelly.  The first of these was just one month after Ms Kelly received a report from lead consultant Dr Stephen Brearey.

The NHS manager was contacted again in February 2016 by Dr Brearey in February 2016 who found common links to nine deaths going back to mid-2015. 

Executives only launched a formal investigation in July 2016. Police were contacted in May 2017.