Guardian Editorial Criticises Timing of Thirlwall Inquiry Report Amid Letby Case Review

The Guardian has published an editorial arguing that Lady Justice Thirlwall should have paused her public inquiry into the Countess of Chester Hospital before publishing its findings, given that Lucy Letby's convictions are currently subject to a formal review.

According to the piece, Lady Thirlwall rejected earlier calls to delay the inquiry, stating that questions about Letby's guilt fell outside her terms of reference. The inquiry, she said at the time, would examine the hospital and its staff rather than revisit the criminal convictions themselves.

The Guardian notes that Letby was convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven more at the hospital. The editorial states that, eighteen months after Lady Thirlwall's decision, with her 822-page report now published, the choice to proceed while Letby's guilt was being formally challenged "looks like a mistake."

The report's recommendations, the piece explains, were based on many months of hearings and include calls for strengthened oversight of hospitals by the Care Quality Commission, increased support for whistleblowers from the health ombudsman, and clearer monitoring and reporting of child deaths within the NHS.

The Guardian states that, as with previous inquiries, the report identifies serious problems concerning accountability, openness and safeguarding within the NHS. The editorial argues that Lady Thirlwall's conclusions on service improvements should be added to the list of outstanding actions required of the health service, even as questions about the underlying convictions remain unresolved.