Lucy Letby's ex-boss admits 'I should've done better' with victims' parents

The erstwhile main enforcement of the infirmary wherever Lucy Letby murdered 7 babies has denied being blameworthy of "utterly reprehensible behaviour" to support doctors' concerns astir the caregiver from becoming public.

Tony Chambers was continuing to springiness grounds astatine the nationalist enquiry into however erstwhile caregiver Letby, who is serving 15 whole-life sentences for the execution of 7 babies and attempted execution of 7 others, was capable to transportation retired her crimes astatine the Countess of Chester Hospital.

Yesterday Mr Chambers offered an apology to the families who had fallen unfortunate to Letby and said his connection had been "clumsy" successful telling the slayer caregiver the infirmary had "her back".

Senior doctors person told the Thirlwall Inquiry they felt their concerns that Letby was deliberately harming babies were not taken earnestly capable by executives.

'I should've done better'

On his 2nd time of evidence, Mr Chambers denied discussing details of the lawsuit with a workfellow connected a nationalist train.

He besides denied discussing perchance ruining the careers of the consultants and reporting them to the General Medical Council if they refused to "move on" from their concerns implicit Letby.

He told the inquiry: "My quality is specified that we ever had a absorption connected diligent information and the wellbeing of our staff."

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On the hospital's nonaccomplishment to fulfil its work of candour to parents, helium added: "I perfectly acknowledged that we hadn't got that right. We could person done better, we should person done better. I should person done better."

Mr Chambers was asked by Richard Baker KC, representing immoderate of the families of the babies, if executives had treated earnestly the expertise of consultants implicit their concerns astir Letby.

Mr Chambers said: "They were our experts, they were our doctors and they were the ones that were closest to these issues.

"But equally, what they were presenting, I deliberation it whitethorn person been wide successful their caput that they were making themselves understood, but successful information it was ne'er rather arsenic explicit arsenic that. It was rather implicit.

"So it was felt that we needed to effort and found the causes due to the fact that we understood from past that it was ever not a elemental azygous thing," helium said, adding: "It was ever multi-factorial."

Mr Baker said: "You sought astatine each signifier to stall and obstruct the constabulary being called oregon this being made nationalist and yet sought to ruin the careers of the consultants who brought this to your attention.

"Now that is utterly reprehensible behaviour and unfitting of a CEO successful the NHS isn't it?"

Mr Chambers replied: "Had that been what I had done past it would be. But I deliberation it's an outrageous connection and I bash not judge it represents my actions."

Letby is serving beingness successful situation implicit the crimes committed betwixt June 2015 and June 2016 portion moving arsenic a caregiver successful the neonatal portion of the Countess of Chester Hospital.

The enquiry chaired by Lady Justice Thirlwall is expected to perceive grounds until aboriginal successful the caller twelvemonth earlier issuing a study adjacent autumn.