Lucy Letby: Cardiac arrests baby 'did not get best care'

Lucy Letby is accused of murdering seven babies and trying to kill 10 others

A baby received "some suboptimal care" before two unexplained cardiac arrests, Lucy Letby's murder trial has heard.

The infant, referred to as Child H, is said to have been deliberately harmed by the nurse on two occasions in 2015 at the Countess of Chester Hospital.

Jurors heard the child required resuscitation on consecutive nights.

Ms Letby, 32, is charged with murdering seven babies and attempting to murder 10 others, which she denies.

Manchester Crown Court heard Child H, who was born prematurely, needed resuscitating in the early hours of 26 and 27 September 2015.

She was rushed to Wirral's Arrowe Park Hospital as no clear cause for the collapses could be identified.

Child H survived and went to make a full recovery when she was transferred to a different hospital.

She had earlier experienced a series of falls in blood oxygen levels and heart rate, with a number of pneumothoraxes (collapsed lung) identified, the jury was told.

This followed a diagnosis of respiratory distress syndrome, a common complication with premature babies.

Medics treating the life-threatening condition went on to insert a needle to remove fluid or air from between the chest wall and the lung.

However, the needle was left in place as a chest drain - a tube used to drain air - was later put in.

Child H was being cared for on the neonatal ward at Countess of Chester Hospital

Prosecution expert Dr Sandie Bohin, a consultant paediatrician, agreed that medication to reduce stiffness of lungs was given late to Child H.

Ben Myers KC, defending, asked Dr Bohin: "That [the needle] should be removed as soon as possible. It has a sharp tip that can tear delicate tissue as the lung expands, doesn't it?"

"Yes," said Dr Bohin.

Mr Myers said: "That's suboptimal practice, isn't it?"

Dr Bohin replied: "Yes, because it is hazardous."

Child H needed a total of three chest drains on her left side as the lung problems continued, the court heard.

The defence claim the second drain was put in the wrong place.

Dr Bohin also admitted that there had been "some suboptimal care" of Child H days earlier.

Ms Letby, originally from Hereford, denies all 22 charges against her.

The trial continues.

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