Ex-hospital boss Dr Susan Gilby ‘astonished’ by staff ‘complacency’ after Lucy Letby’s arrest

Gilby, who joined as medical director and deputy chief executive before later becoming chief executive, said: “There was a general feeling of complacency rather than people reeling from shock and distress, which is what I had expected to find.”

She said the narrative she encountered was that someone had been picked to blame and that the police investigation would not result in charges.

“I was astonished,” she said.

Letby, 36, is serving 15 whole-life prison terms after being convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven others while working at the Countess of Chester Hospital between 2015 and 2016.

Lady Justice Thirlwall found a “complete failure to protect babies” on the neonatal unit where Letby was a nurse and described a system of “dysfunctional management and governance”.

Thirlwall said some of the babies Letby killed could have been saved if managers at the Countess of Chester Hospital had taken action earlier.

Letby maintains her innocence and the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) is reviewing her convictions.

Former senior managers said after the inquiry report was published on Tuesday that, with other investigations under way, it would be inappropriate to comment further. They said their thoughts remained with the families affected.