Latest news with #neonatalunit
The Independent
2 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
Jeremy Hunt says Lucy Letby's case must be urgently re-examined
Sir Jeremy Hunt is calling for an 'urgent re-examination' of the case of convicted murderer Lucy Letby. It comes just months after the former health secretary apologised to the families of the former nurse's victims at a public inquiry. The Conservative MP pleaded for the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) to 'speed up their normally painfully slow process'. The CCRC, which investigates potential miscarriages of justice, is considering evidence presented by Letby's legal team from an international panel of medics. They claim that poor medical care and natural causes were to blame for the babies collapsing at the Countess of Chester Hospital's neonatal unit. Letby, 35, is serving 15 whole-life orders after being convicted across two trials at Manchester Crown Court of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven others, with two attempts on one of her victims, between June 2015 and June 2016. Giving evidence in January at the Thirlwall Inquiry over Letby's crimes, Sir Jeremy – who was health secretary between 2012 and 2018 – acknowledged the 'appalling crime' took place under his watch. He said he bore ultimate responsibility for the NHS 'insofar as lessons were not learned from previous inquiries that could have been or the right systems were not in place'. Lucy Letby has been convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven others (PA Media) He said: 'I want to put on the record my apologies to the families for anything that did not happen that potentially could have prevented such an appalling crime.' Writing in the Daily Mail on Wednesday, Sir Jeremy said: 'I am not arguing that Letby is innocent. That is not my place. I believe in the separation of powers. It must never be the role of any politician to second-guess the outcome of any court decision, let alone a jury trial. 'The pain endured by the families affected must also be at the forefront of our minds. Their suffering is beyond our comprehension and they deserve compassion, respect and ongoing support. 'But most of all, they deserve the truth. And recently, some have begun to cast doubt on what actually happened. Were those tragic deaths caused by an evil woman or were they the result of medical error? 'As someone who has campaigned for more than a decade to reduce avoidable death, that matters to me. 'If Letby really did kill seven babies in their cots and attempted to kill seven more, no punishment short of the death penalty is too harsh. But if they were caused by professional shortcomings, we need to know why. 'More than anything else, we need to make sure other families don't have to go through the same tragedy.' Former health secretary Jeremy Hunt apologised at the Thirlwall Inquiry to families of the victims of Lucy Letby (PA) Sir Jeremy said he had noted the findings of the international panel of paediatric specialists and neonatologists, and had also read a 'wide range of expert concerns about the conduct of the criminal case'. He said: 'Taken together – and it pains me to say it – this analysis raises serious and credible questions about the evidence presented in court, the robustness of expert testimony and the interpretation of statistical data. 'That is why I and parliamentary colleagues such as Sir David Davis, now believe the time has come for these concerns to be addressed as a matter of urgency.' He continued: 'While there is such a high degree of speculation about the potentially unfair prosecution of a healthcare professional, others will feel much more nervous about coming forward about mistakes they may have made. Lessons will not be learned and more babies will die. 'Justice must be done and seen to be done. And that means the CCRC has to speed up their normally painfully slow process.' He added that 'none of this should diminish the compassion we owe the families who have already suffered so much'. He said: 'Re-examination of the evidence is not a denial of their pain. But it will ensure that all of us can have confidence that the truth has been reached through a rigorous and fair process. 'And if medical error was the cause, we can then make sure no more babies die from the same mistakes.' Lucy Letby: Timeline of nurse who murdered seven babies Lawyers for the families of Letby's victims dismissed the medical panel's conclusions as 'full of analytical holes' and 'a rehash' of the defence case heard at trial. The mother of a baby boy who Letby attempted to murder said the families 'already have the truth'. They believe in the British justice system and the jury made the right decision, she said. The mother of another boy, Baby C, who Letby was convicted of murdering, told the Thirlwall Inquiry: 'The media PR campaign aimed to garner public sympathy for Letby demonstrates a complete lack of understanding for Letby's crimes and the complexity of the case. 'The misinformed and inaccurate media circus surrounding this case, our son and the other babies is potentiating the distress of all of the families involved.' Letby, from Hereford, lost two bids in 2024 to challenge her convictions at the Court of Appeal. One was in May, for seven murders and six attempted murders, and one was in October for the attempted murder of a baby girl, which she was convicted of by a different jury at a retrial. Cheshire Constabulary is continuing a review of deaths and non-fatal collapses of babies at the neonatal units of the Countess of Chester and Liverpool Women's Hospital during Letby's time as a nurse from 2012 to 2016. A separate probe by the force into corporate manslaughter and gross negligence manslaughter at the Countess of Chester Hospital also remains ongoing. Lady Justice Thirlwall is due to publish the findings from her public inquiry in early 2026.
BBC News
3 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
New Belfast maternity hospital could be delayed a further 28 months
The opening of Belfast's new maternity hospital could be delayed by another 28 Nesbitt told the assembly he couldn't "soften the news" and has asked for an external expert to review if the decision taken is the best one and if parts of the hospital could be opened in the minister also said that he is "far from finished" on the matter and he also needs to better understand why some experts have disagreed with the option taken by the health last Thursday's health committee, it emerged that the health trust faced three options to try and fix the water system which included ongoing testing of individual water taps across the building; installing a "discreet checking system" for high-risk areas including the neonatal unit and finally pulling out the entire water system which was described by management as "excessive".
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
'My granddaughter died at three days old, now I'm running in her memory'
A man is running 10k to raise funds for the hospital that treated his granddaughter who died when she was three days old. Mick Haigh, 68, from Apperley Bridge in Bradford, is running the Leeds 10k with his four grandsons to raise money for Bradford Hospitals Charity. His granddaughter Alice was born in December 2018 and was treated at Bradford Royal Infirmary's neonatal unit. "Running in memory of Alice on Father's Day will be really special, and having my grandsons by my side as we cross the finish line in her memory will be emotional for sure - it'll certainly be a race I won't forget," he said. The family are running under the team name Alice's Army and hope to raise money to support the charity to refurbish and expand the neonatal unit. Alice's parents Cara and Lee Haigh began fundraising in 2023, when the family ran their first Leeds 10k, raising £2,000. This year four of Mick's grandsons – and Cara and Lee's nephews - Elliot Ratcliffe, Thomas Ratcliffe, Owen Davies and Ryan Davies, are running for the first time. Mr Haigh said despite it being their first time he expected they would be waiting for him at the finish line. "In my younger days, when I was my grandsons' age, I did the Leeds Marathon three times. "We've been training along the canal, which is pretty flat, because the course itself isn't that bad. "The last bit coming into Little London from Meanwood Road. That's the hard part. "We'll save ourselves for that." The family's first 10k in 2023 was timed to mark what would have been Alice's fifth birthday. "It was quite fitting for us to take part in that run," said Cara Haigh. "We wanted to give something back. They do such an amazing job and such vital work that we wanted to try and raise a bit of money." The hospital's BIG Neonatal Appeal will support the refurbishment and expansion of the unit, allowing families to stay closer to their babies during treatments. It will also help fund a garden where families can reflect and relax and an indoor play area for siblings. Mrs Haigh said it had "meant the world" to have time with Alice in the room provided by the charity, and wanted to ensure other families could benefit from the support. "I had never been on a neonatal unit. I hadn't seen babies that were poorly being cared for. And it really opened my eyes up and my husband Lee's eyes up to just what exactly they do. "They go above and beyond for every child to try to get them home to their family." She said "unfortunately that wasn't the ending" of their story. "But they work so hard to make these children better so that they can go on and live happy and healthy lives." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North. Double joy for rugby fans at Hull 10k race 'I'm a 10k world champion after I took up running in retirement'
BBC News
5 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Grandad runs Leeds 10k for baby who died at three days old
A man is running 10k to raise funds for the hospital that treated his granddaughter who died when she was three days Haigh, 68, from Apperley Bridge in Bradford, is running the Leeds 10k with his four grandsons to raise money for Bradford Hospitals granddaughter Alice was born in December 2018 and was treated at Bradford Royal Infirmary's neonatal unit."Running in memory of Alice on Father's Day will be really special, and having my grandsons by my side as we cross the finish line in her memory will be emotional for sure - it'll certainly be a race I won't forget," he said. The family are running under the team name Alice's Army and hope to raise money to support the charity to refurbish and expand the neonatal parents Cara and Lee Haigh began fundraising in 2023, when the family ran their first Leeds 10k, raising £2, year four of Mick's grandsons – and Cara and Lee's nephews - Elliot Ratcliffe, Thomas Ratcliffe, Owen Davies and Ryan Davies, are running for the first Haigh said despite it being their first time he expected they would be waiting for him at the finish line."In my younger days, when I was my grandsons' age, I did the Leeds Marathon three times."We've been training along the canal, which is pretty flat, because the course itself isn't that bad."The last bit coming into Little London from Meanwood Road. That's the hard part."We'll save ourselves for that." The family's first 10k in 2023 was timed to mark what would have been Alice's fifth birthday."It was quite fitting for us to take part in that run," said Cara Haigh."We wanted to give something back. They do such an amazing job and such vital work that we wanted to try and raise a bit of money."The hospital's BIG Neonatal Appeal will support the refurbishment and expansion of the unit, allowing families to stay closer to their babies during will also help fund a garden where families can reflect and relax and an indoor play area for Haigh said it had "meant the world" to have time with Alice in the room provided by the charity, and wanted to ensure other families could benefit from the support."I had never been on a neonatal unit. I hadn't seen babies that were poorly being cared for. And it really opened my eyes up and my husband Lee's eyes up to just what exactly they do."They go above and beyond for every child to try to get them home to their family."She said "unfortunately that wasn't the ending" of their story."But they work so hard to make these children better so that they can go on and live happy and healthy lives." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
ABC News
06-06-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Labor to change law after mother's paid parental leave was cancelled when baby died
For six weeks, tiny Priya fought for her life in the neonatal intensive care unit in a Sydney hospital. It was June 3, 2024 when — at not even 25 weeks — she arrived in the world nearly three months early — and left unbearably soon. Despite her premature birth, she had been surprising doctors with how strong she was. But on day 42, little Priya ran out of fight. "One dreaded Sunday, we were just shocked when she was unwell and she passed away," her mother said through tears. "It was the worst day of our lives. "I've never felt such pain, you just feel like screaming … it's almost like a primal feeling." Five days into grappling with her daughter's death, Priya's mother — who asked not to be named — says she called her employer of 11 years to tell them of her loss. Flowers, teddy bears and condolences from colleagues arrived, but after a text exchange with her employer that lasted another five days, she received a message she found both shocking and distressing. It was her workplace notifying her that her three months of pre-approved paid parental leave (PPL) had been cancelled. Instead, her employer offered four weeks of personal leave — not even enough to cover Priya's time alive. Up until then, she had been using a mix of annual and long service leave, so never received a day of the three months of approved PPL through her employer. The government paid leave, however, did remain. Already, she was so overcome with grief she would wake up in the middle of the night crying and now she had a new problem on her hands. "They just escalated my grief and trauma even more than needed to be," she said. She had already begun to needlessly question her motherhood and her employer's decision just compounded that. "I was thinking maybe I really must not be a mother — even my workplace is saying that," she said. After building a career in employment services, helping other people find work, she was now having to do the same, having quit after feeling such disrespect from her workplace towards her and her baby. Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations Amanda Rishworth calls it a "gap" that needs to be fixed. "No parent should have their employer paid parental leave cancelled in the event of a stillbirth or an early death of a child," she said. Spurred by the advocacy of Priya's parents, the federal government has committed to making the legislative change "swiftly," but has not put a timeline on it. Minister Rishworth said the law firstly needed to be drafted, then consulted on with employers, unions and Priya's parents. She said most employers continued to guarantee the leave in the circumstance of a stillbirth or early death of a child, but the government wanted to make sure "there is no grey area". "For those that it does affect, it is profound," she said. The government said the change would align the private sector with the Commonwealth scheme so employees are still entitled to the leave if their child is stillborn or if the baby dies while the employee is on PPL, or during a period in which they could have accessed it. In the year since Priya's passing, more than 31,000 people have signed an online petition to support the cause. On Friday, Priya's mum and dad met Minister Rishworth in Adelaide to show her the signatures. "In the name of Priya, other grieving parents will not need to go through the same pain that I did," her mother said. "I'm feeling so grateful to my daughter Priya … she's given me strength."
