NMC resumes referral against nursing director named in Letby case

Alison Kelly was director of nursing and quality at the Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust during the years that Letby carried out her murders.

Ms Kelly was previously referred to the NMC but, at the request of police, the referral was paused pending the outcome of the criminal trial against Letby.

Alison Kelly

Now that Letby has been convicted, the NMC has confirmed that it will proceed with investigating the referral against Ms Kelly.

During the trial, Ms Kelly was one of the senior managers who was accused of failing to act when clinicians first raised concerns about Letby.

Ms Kelly has since been suspended from her current role of director for nursing for Rochdale Care Organisation, part of the Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust.

In addition, the NMC told Nursing Times that it was working to confirm the identities of other individuals named during the trial, which could potentially result in further fitness-to-practise cases being opened.

Letby herself was referred to the NMC in July 2018 and her case was also paused while the criminal investigation happened. She is currently the subject of an interim suspension order.

The NMC has said it will now be taking her case forward with the intention of striking her off the register. The decisions in FtP cases sit with an independent panel.

Lucy Letby

On Monday, Letby was sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder six others.

Cheshire Constabulary is continuing with its inquiry into the Letby case and is looking into the full period that she was a nurse, either while at the Countess of Chester Hospital or on placement at the Liverpool Women’s Hospital.

During her career, from 2012 to 2016, there were more than 4,000 admissions of babies into the neonatal units where she was working.

Detective superintendent Paul Hughes said: “This does not mean we are investigating all 4,000, it just means that we are committed to a thorough review of every admission from a medical perspective, to ensure that nothing is missed throughout the entirety of her employment as a nurse.

“Only those cases highlighted as concerning medically will be investigated further,” he said.

The government has also announced that it will be launching an independent inquiry into the Letby case.