Lucy Letby visited Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, inquiry told

The inquiry into events surrounding the former nurse’s crimes is taking place at Liverpool Town Hall.

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Exterior shot of Liverpool Town Hall

Child serial killer Lucy Letby made a number of visits to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital after she was removed from nursing duties at the Countess of Chester, a public inquiry has heard.

Letby, 34, was also said to have visited the Countess of Chester’s neonatal unit in the same period, including a “tea party” to welcome her expected return to the ward.

She was switched to clerical work in July 2016 after senior consultant paediatricians raised concerns to their bosses about “patient safety” in the neonatal unit.

The inquiry into the events surrounding the crimes of Letby heard she launched a grievance procedure in September 2017 over the removal which was resolved in her favour several months later.

Counsel to the inquiry Rachel Langdale KC said a planned return to the neonatal unit was then only stopped by the “tenacious lobbying of the consultants”.

Lucy Letby mugshot
Lucy Letby was found guilty of murdering children (Cheshire Constabulary/PA)

She added: “But for their determined approach, it appears likely that she would have been permitted to return to dealing with babies.”

However, the hearing at Liverpool Town Hall was told that in late January 2017 Letby had been involved with discussions to attend Liverpool’s Alder Hey “to view theatre lists and have an observational contract”.

Ms Langdale said the inquiry would hear evidence that Letby went on to make a number of supervised visits including outpatient, clinics, ward rounds and team meetings – although a witness would say they believed she had no known unsupervised patient contact.

Letby was not informed until June 2017 by the Countess that she could no longer attend Alder Hey – just weeks after the Countess first formally contacted Cheshire Police about a series of sudden and unexpected deaths on the unit in 2015 and 2016.