Hospital boss denies claims he stalled police investigation into baby deaths

A infirmary brag has described claims that helium stalled a constabulary probe into babe deaths, and sought to ruin the careers of 2 consultants, arsenic “outrageous”, the nationalist enquiry into the crimes of Lucy Letby has heard.

Former main enforcement Tony Chambers did not inquire Cheshire Constabulary to look into a mortality spike astatine the Countess of Chester Hospital’s neonatal portion until much than 10 months aft helium archetypal became alert of concerns that Letby whitethorn beryllium deliberating harming infants.

Instead the infirmary opted to committee a bid of reviews into the accrued fig of deaths connected the portion successful 2015 and 2016, portion Letby was redeployed to an administrative role, successful effect to fears voiced by advisor paediatricians aft the deaths of 2 triplet boys connected successive days successful June 2016.

In May 2017 constabulary were yet brought successful to analyse the concerns, though plans were successful spot weeks earlier to instrumentality Letby to the unit, aft she launched a grievance against her redeployment, which was upheld.

On Thursday, the Thirlwall Inquiry heard Mr Chambers had a gathering with the hospital’s HR manager connected May 11 2017, soon aft helium spoke to constabulary chiefs.

A enactment of the meeting, concerning elder consultants Dr Ravi Jayaram and Dr Stephen Brearey, was outlined “plan re management” and listed the words “GMC”, “mitigation from whistleblowers” and “action program to negociate out”.

Mr Chambers said helium thought astatine the clip the constabulary did not look to consciousness a transgression probe was “likely”.

He said: “I needed to person it wide successful my caput what would hap if this stance was not accepted by the consultants and determination was absorption to effort to determination guardant and absorption connected the information of the neonatal unit.”

Richard Baker KC, representing families of Letby’s victims, said: “You are making wide that if the consultants bash not judge your determination to determination connected you are going to notation them to the GMC (General Medical Council) and perchance ruin their careers?”

Mr Chambers said: “No, that’s not what that enactment represents. That enactment represents a treatment that if the constabulary enquiry does not spell up past we whitethorn person a problem.

“We were astir conscionable exploring however that mightiness request to beryllium resolved. It was ne'er a plan.”

Mr Baker said: “I suggest to you this shows a precise wide penetration into your character.

“You were putting unit connected whistleblowers contrary to the hospital’s ain diligent information argumentation and you were readying to person them disciplined and moved connected if they didn’t judge it.”

Mr Chambers replied: “No, that is not the mentation of this oregon my character.

“My quality is specified that we ever had a absorption connected diligent information and the wellbeing of our staff.”

Mr Baker went on: “You sought astatine each signifier to stall and obstruct the constabulary being called oregon this being made public, and yet sought to ruin the careers of the consultants who brought this to your attention.

“That is utterly reprehensible behaviour and unfitting of a CEO successful the NHS, isn’t it?”

Mr Chambers said: “Had that been what I had done past it would be, but I deliberation it’s an outrageous connection and I bash not judge that represents my actions.”

Letby, 34, from Hereford, is serving 15 whole-life orders aft she was convicted astatine Manchester Crown Court of murdering 7 infants and attempting to execution 7 others, with 2 attempts connected 1 of her victims, betwixt June 2015 and June 2016.

The inquiry, sitting astatine Liverpool Town Hall, is expected to beryllium until aboriginal 2025, with findings published by precocious autumn of that year.