A senior NHS manager who allegedly ignored warnings over
serial baby killer Lucy Letby has been suspended, The Telegraph has learned.
Alison Kelly was accused in court of failing to act when doctors raised “serious concerns” about the nurse during her tenure as director of nursing and quality at the Countess of Chester Hospital where Letby murdered seven babies.
Ms Kelly is now a director of nursing at the Northern Care Alliance NHS Trust in the Manchester area and local politicians called for her position to be investigated by ministers.
It emerged on Sunday that she has now been suspended due to several allegations that emerged during the court case.
An NHS England spokesperson told The Telegraph: “We welcome the independent inquiry announced by the Department of Health and Social Care into the events at the Countess of Chester and will cooperate fully to help ensure all lessons are learned.
“In light of information that has emerged during the trial of Lucy Letby, and the announcement of the independent inquiry, the Northern Care Alliance has suspended Alison Kelly.”
It comes as
NHS managers who are accused of ignoring repeated warnings that Letby posed a threat to babies face the possibility of losing their pensions if convicted of corporate manslaughter or criminal negligence.
Ms Kelly is the most senior nurse at the Salford and Rochdale organisations within the Northern Care Alliance in the North-West of England. It is one of the largest NHS trusts in the country and employs 20,000 staff.
The Telegraph understands that politicians in the area were deeply concerned to learn that Ms Kelly was still in a senior management position.
It was more than eight years ago, in July 2015, when Ms Kelly was first told that Letby was the only nurse on shift when three babies died within two weeks of one another.
