Hospital boss denies 'stalling' police over Letby

Tony Chambers denied seeking to "ruin the careers" of senior doctors who made accusations against Lucy Letby

The former chief executive of the hospital where Lucy Letby attacked and killed babies has denied "stalling" the police investigation into her crimes.

Tony Chambers was in charge at the Countess of Chester Hospital between June 2015 and June 2016 when Letby murdered seven infants and tried to kill another seven.

Cheshire Police were eventually called in to investigate in May 2017 after consultants pressured senior executives at the hospital.

Mr Chambers, giving evidence at the public inquiry into the circumstances of Letby's offending, said he did not believe he had "obstructed" the police investigation or “sought to ruin the careers” of the doctors who suspected her.

• LIVE: Tony Chambers gives evidence to the Thirlwall Inquiry for a second day

The Thirlwall Inquiry, sitting at Liverpool Town Hall, heard Mr Chambers had first been made aware that senior paediatric consultants on the neonatal unit suspected Letby was harming babies in June 2016.

Giving evidence for a second day, he said he "accepted they were experts" but said they had not presented clear evidence to back up their "gut feelings".

Tony Chambers was accused of "reprehensible conduct" by a barrister representing the families of Letby's victims

He denied later trying to ruin their careers by threatening to refer them to the General Medical Council (GMC) watchdog if they did not drop their accusations against Letby and "move on".

Richard Baker KC, a barrister representing some of the families of Letby's victims, showed the inquiry a note from a meeting held at Cheshire Police headquarters on 12 May 2017.

The note said Mr Chambers told senior officers “it was felt that the explanations of what has happened do not lie in a single place or cause, and certainly not criminal”.

Mr Baker said: "You are misleading the Cheshire Constabulary, suggesting to them this matter has been fully investigated."

Mr Chambers replied: "I think I am representing what our thoughts were at the time."

The inquiry heard the note also recorded Mr Chambers telling the police that “it will become a wider GMC issue” and referred to the consultants “blocking the ability to move forward which creates a more difficult and dangerous environment for sick babies”.

Lucy Letby was told by Tony Chambers "we've got your back" after she complained about being removed from duties

Another note, from a meeting Mr Chambers held with the hospital's head of human resources Sue Hodkinson about the consultants, mentioned "referrals to the GMC" and an "action plan to manage out".

Mr Chambers denied that the notes represented an intention to "potentially ruin the careers" of the consultants.

Mr Baker said: "I suggest this shows a clear insight into your character - that you were putting pressure on whistleblowers contrary to the hospital's own patient safety and you were planning to have them disciplined, and moved on if they didn’t accept it."

Mr Chambers replied: "That’s not the interpretation of this or my character.

"My character is such that we always had a focus on patients’ safety and the wellbeing of our staff."

'Utterly reprehensible'

Mr Baker finished his questioning of Mr Chambers by suggesting: "You sought at every stage to stall and obstruct the police being called or this being made public, and ultimately 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 in the NHS isn’t it?"

Mr Chambers responded: "Had that been what I had done it would be.

"But I think it’s an outrageous statement and I do not believe that it represents my actions."

Letby is serving 15 whole life terms in prison after being convicted of seven counts of murder and eight of attempted murder, including two attempts on the same victim.

The inquiry is due to sit into early in 2025.