A watchdog last year blasted the leadership at a hospital trust where baby killer Lucy Letby’s former boss is employed as a director.
Alison Kelly was suspended from her role at the Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust after she was criticised during the Letby court case. She was accused in court of failing to act when doctors at the Countess of Chester Hospital “raised serious concerns” about Letby in October 2015.
Now we can reveal a health inspectors’ report found failings in the leadership at the trust where Ms Kelly went on to work after quitting her post at the Chester hospital in 2021. The Care Quality Commission team carried out an unannounced inspection at the Northern Care Alliance in Greater Manchester last summer and rated the trust as Requires Improvement. Many of the leadership concerns bore similarities to the serious failings exposed at the Countess of Chester Hospital during Letby’s horrific offending.
Kelly was accused in court of failing to act when doctors raised concerns” about Letby (Cheshire Constabulary/AFP via Ge)Some staff told inspectors they did not find it possible to raise concerns, while others said they did not always feel listened to. In its report the CQC ordered the trust to ensure serious incidents are investigated in a timely manner and to support staff to speak up.
The trust was also told to make sure complaints are investigated and responded to in accordance with the relevant policy and best practice. As director of nursing at the Northern Care Alliance’s Rochdale Care Organisation, Ms Kelly’s job before her suspension was to lead the nursing and therapy teams at Rochdale Infirmary and in the community.
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She is now awaiting the outcome of a Nursing and Midwifery Council’s investigation into her fitness to practise. Her referral to the NMC, sent in 2018, had been paused pending the outcome of the trial at the request of the police.
Doctors at the Chester Hospital claimed they were “fobbed off” by Ms Kelly after sending her an email about the unexplained deaths of five babies and the link with Letby. Dr Ravi Jayarem, one of the consultants, told the court that Ms Kelly said to them: “Let’s see what happens” and Letby was allowed to continue working. Letby, 33, will spend the rest of her life in jail for murdering seven babies and attempting to murder six more between June 2015 and June 2016.
Alison Kelly was suspended from her role at the Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust (NHS)Ms Kelly has previously said: “It is impossible to imagine the heartache suffered by the families involved and my thoughts are very much with them. These are truly terrible crimes and I am deeply sorry that this happened to them.
“We owe it to the babies and their families to learn lessons and I will fully co-operate with the independent inquiry announced.”
Nicky Clarke, chief people officer at Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust, said: “I can confirm Alison Kelly has been suspended. We are unable to comment any further at this moment in time.”
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