Parents of murdered child worry Letby hospital boss ‘get out of jail free card’

Parents of a child murdered by wicked nurse Lucy Letby worry a former boss on the hospital the place she carried out her killing spree has “a get out of jail free card” after retiring.

Countess of Chester Hospital ex-medical director Ian Harvey retired to the South of France with a £1.8million pension 5 years in the past.

But the distraught dad and mom of one in all Letby’s victims need solutions over if extra may have been completed to behave on warnings about one in all Britain’s worst serial killers.

The shattered dad and mom, who haven’t been recognized, instructed the Sunday Mirror: “Retiring should not be a get-out-of-jail-free card to distance himself from his failures to act.

“It appears he has left the sinking ship with the buoyancy aid of a large NHS pension. This is why we fully support a statutory public inquiry, so we can get the answers we deserve.”

Letby, 33, was sentenced to a whole-life time period for the homicide of seven infants and the tried murders of six extra. Dr Susan Gilby, who took over because the Countess of Chester Hospital’s medical director a month after Letby was arrested in 2018, mentioned victims’ households have been handled in an “appalling” method by executives.

According to the Sunday Mirror, Mr Harvey, 65, earned as much as £175,000 at Countess of Chester Hospital, the place Letby murdered youngsters within the neonatal unit.

He took early retirement in 2018, shortly after her arrest, and has been accused by senior consultants of failing to behave on fears over the nurse. He is reportedly residing within the Dordogne area of France together with his spouse in a farmhouse boasting a swimming pool and stables.

Mr Harvey, who was additionally deputy chief govt of the hospital, has denied any wrongdoing and there’s no suggestion of criminality.

Senior docs on the hospital, the place the nurse carried out her year-long killing spree on the neonatal unit, raised issues for months earlier than she was lastly taken off frontline duties.

Dr Gilby instructed Sky News there was “certainly a possibility” that administration failures to cope with complaints led to lives being needlessly misplaced.

She added: “But it needs to be an external and objective review, looking at all the evidence, and giving people the right of reply to that evidence, that will come to that conclusion, and not for individuals such as myself. From a personal point of view, and obviously speaking more as a mother than a doctor or a senior leader in the NHS, it’s my greatest fear and I think it’s more likely than not that that will turn out to be the case. I sincerely hope that it isn’t.”

When instructed of the dad and mom’ “get out of jail free card” assertion, Mr Harvey mentioned: “I am willing to be subjected to proper accountability and I will attend the public inquiry in person. I will contribute fully, openly and honestly. I will do everything I can to help the parents get the answers that they deserve.”

The inquiry into serial killer Lucy Letby’s crimes needs to be led by a choose, Rishi Sunak has mentioned. The Government has come below stress to place the inquiry on a statutory footing, together with from a few of the households affected, Labour chief Sir Keir Starmer, and the NHS ombudsman.

The Prime Minister mentioned on Friday that “whatever form the inquiry takes” he believes it’s “important that it is judge-led”.

Speaking to broadcasters, Mr Sunak mentioned: “This was one of the most despicable, horrific crimes in our history. And it’s really important that we get answers, particularly for the families of the victims. And of course my thoughts are with them.

“Now, no matter kind the inquiry takes, I imagine it can be crucial that it’s judge-led in order that it has a powerful, impartial voice to resolve what occurred.”

Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman Rob Behrens wrote to the Health Secretary earlier this week saying: “Only a statutory inquiry can present the robust authorized powers essential to compel witnesses and the discharge of proof.”

The Government ordered a probe after the nurse was final week discovered responsible of murdering seven infants and making an attempt to homicide six extra.

Ministers mentioned the inquiry will examine the occasions on the Countess of Chester Hospital’s neonatal unit between 2015 and 2016 to make sure classes are discovered.

Mr Sunak additionally introduced harmful offenders like Letby who commit essentially the most heinous murders will face life behind bars with no likelihood of being launched below new plans.

The Government goals to alter the legislation in order that judges are required to impose whole-life orders on essentially the most wicked killers, besides in extraordinarily restricted circumstances.