Lucy Letby case

It's fairly accepted that racism is an issue with negative outcomes in certain sectors (at least) of the NHS. Maternity care for black women, for example. In the Letby case, serious red flags were raised by a number of medical professionals to supposedly senior executives over a period of time. The response to this went far beyond merely inadequate. The letter of apology that Dr Jayaram (aiui the lead complainant) was forced to send to Letby...literally a licence to kill.

I think it's reasonable to seek logic in all directions when a situation defies common sense. The foundation to prevent something bad recurring. Alternative explanations are also pretty unpalatable.

Here's the link to 7 min interview in the article.

For my wife and I, this Letby case has rekindled all sorts of demons. 

In the 1990s, our baby daughter was delivered by C-section six weeks early.  The consultant thought she was three weeks off full-term, but had badly overestimated her gestation period, so she was born six weeks prematurely.  Unfortunately, her lungs - which we were told are the last organ to mature before birth - were under-developed, so she had to be rushed into the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) for oxygen and intensive care.  

We stayed in the hospital and I spent hours every day drifting between our room and the SCBU, checking regularly on her progress.  It was noticeable that during the times we had to sleep, her condition would deteriorate overnight.  She'd then pick up again during the day, when I could show up unexpectedly at any moment, and then the cycle would repeat.  After seven days of this, we were asked for our permission to switch off her life support, which was soul destroying.  

They eventually caught up with the consultant concerned a few years later, when he was suspended by the NHS for a long series of medical blunders. 

Given the way our baby was so up and down, and down mostly at the times I couldn't observe her care, naturally the mind plays tricks and we have to wonder whether there've been other 'Letby's in the past.  It was all a long time ago, but when a case like this arises, you can't help drawing comparisons. 

I do have to qualify this by saying most of the SCBU nurses we dealt with were absolutely brilliant, compassionate, empathic and caring for the babies like they were their very own.  One even cried with us when our little one didn't pull through.  

How this Letby creature did what she did is beyond all reason.  

Thanks james100, it was a long time ago, and tough to handle back then, but time eventually numbs it away.  This Letby case has just dragged it back to the surface temporarily. 

For one week, I experienced first-hand the whole gamut of emotions going on inside a Special Care Baby Unit - all the bells and alarms constantly going off to warn that instant attention was needed to keep one of the little mites alive for the next few hours - and the fantastic hands-on care provided day after day by the nurses to these tiny, delicate, helpless little bundles in their charge. 

For as long as I live, I will never forget the depth of kindness shown by one young nurse in particular, who grew close to our little daughter before she was taken from us.  The mind just boggles at the stark contrast between that and what was going on inside this evil Letby woman's head.  

Thanks registerme, it gives me a better appreciation than most of what these poor parents are going through.  It's actually worse for them, knowing this wasn't just down to one person's professional incompetence as in our case, but was deliberate malevolence.  How do you begin to handle that? 

I'm very, very sorry indeed to hear that and you're brave for sharing it. It must be even worse not to really know what happened.

I'm now feeling guilty for not spending enough time when ours were in there as it hadn't even entered my head that something like this could happen.

Blimey bernythedolt. I've just caught up on this thread and I can't quite believe what I'm reading. My heart goes out to you and your wife. I can't begin to imagine how you dealt with it at the time and it really emphasises what a disgusting individual this Letby is in the impact she is having on so many people. You have my total respect for sharing, in such a considered yet heart rending way, your devastating experience.

So sorry to hear this Berny, a parent's worst nightmare.