Doctor told to apologise to Lucy Letby in 2016 over murder claim

The inquiry heard Mr Harvey informed him that his reported remark had been documented in an HR report related to a grievance procedure Letby took out over her removal from the neonatal unit in July 2016 to non-patient duties.

Dr McCormack said: “I told Mr Harvey that’s not the case, it’s definitely not the case. I said: ‘You know, this isn’t right that this is down in an official document.”‘

The inquiry, chaired by Lady Justice Thirwall, has previously heard that seven consultants had already signed a joint letter of apology to Letby after hospital chief executive Tony Chambers told them they had “upset” the nurse by linking her to increased number of deaths on the unit.

Dr McCormack said Mr Harvey told him Mr Chambers had “insisted” that he should also apologise in writing.

He told the inquiry: “I was in the position where the paediatricians had apologised and it had already been documented in an HR report so I’m not going to be able to be in a position to get out of this.”

On 8 March 2017 he wrote to Letby: “I have been reported to have made an inappropriate comment during meetings with the consultants and senior nursing staff when discussing events related to the neonatal unit issue.

“I wanted to apologise to you if this caused you any distress.

“I am only aware recently that your first name is Lucy and I have specifically avoided knowing your identity or name to try and afford you some anonymity when you return to work in the neonatal unit.

“I have made no specific derogatory reference personally about yourself.”

Counsel to the inquiry Rachel Langdale KC asked: “At the time, did you think you should have to be sending that letter?”

Dr McCormack said: “No, I didn’t. Not at all.

“I was surprised she accepted it because I was really saying nothing. I didn’t actually apologise for calling her a murderer. In my letter I was very careful what I wrote.”