Letby Inquiry Delayed: Justice for Babies Postponed

A critical public inquiry into the actions of former nurse Lucy Letby, who murdered seven babies and attempted to kill seven others at the Countess of Chester Hospital, has been further delayed. The Thirwall Inquiry, established to examine events between 2015 and 2016, will not publish its report and recommendations until after Parliament's summer recess, which ends on August 31.

This postponement has direct implications for the inquests into the deaths of six babies linked to Letby's convictions. These inquests, initially set for September 14, have been suspended and are now rescheduled for May 2027. Cheshire Coroner's Court confirmed the suspension to allow full consideration of the inquiry's findings.

The inquiry has been hearing evidence to scrutinize how concerns about Letby were managed by hospital staff and clinicians, and if earlier interventions could have prevented further harm. This latest delay marks a continuation of previous postponements, with the report initially anticipated in November 2025.

Separately, a senior healthcare executive from the Countess of Chester Hospital was arrested last month on suspicion of perverting the course of justice as part of ongoing criminal investigations into corporate manslaughter and gross negligence manslaughter at the hospital.