Junior doctors called Lucy Letby ‘Nurse Death’, inquiry told

The trust discussed the matter informally with a senior Cheshire Police officer at a meeting on 27 April, 2017.

Det Ch Supt Nigel Wenham, of Cheshire Police, told the inquiry that the term “angel of death” was used at the meeting to describe Letby.

He briefed senior officers at Cheshire Police on 2 May that year, and the force planned to obtain a letter from the hospital formally inviting them investigate unexplained deaths on the neonatal unit.

Even after this point, Mr Harvey told NHS England that consultants from the neonatal unit had influenced the police by sending a letter “which was a very prejudiced view, effectively pointing the finger at one nurse.”

He stated that his “own feeling” was that there would not be an investigation unless there was something “new” disclosed by the doctors.

He added that he believed the force would assist the trust “in a message that will allow us to close down the speculation here and deal with the issues of culture.”

In fact, the consultants sat down with the police on 17 May, 2017, and outlined in detail why they believed the deaths were suspicious.