"Paul Rees, appointed head of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) in July, told The Independent that neonatal nurse Letby should have been suspended after she was first arrested in July 2018. Letby remained free to work at the Countess of Chester Hospital without any restrictions imposed by the NMC until she was charged in November 2020. Revised NMC rules now mean investigators no longer have to wait until a nurse is charged before they can issue a temporary suspension order."
"Mr Rees said: "We've changed the guidance, so it is clear now where there is an exceptional case of serious criminal wrongdoing, we take action and implement an interim order. "It's incumbent upon us to move fast and bring about these interim orders." Asked if he expected the NMC to be criticised by the public inquiry examining the authorities' responses to Letby's crimes, Mr Rees replied: "We don't know yet, but it's a possibility because we should've acted faster.""
Paul Rees, appointed head of the Nursing and Midwifery Council in July, said the regulator should have acted faster over Lucy Letby. Concerns about Letby were raised in July 2016 and she was redeployed to non-clinical duties while an investigation proceeded. Hospital chiefs contacted police in May 2017 and Letby was arrested in July 2018 but remained able to work until she was charged in November 2020. Letby was convicted and is serving multiple whole-life sentences for murders and attempted murders of babies between 2015 and 2016. The NMC has revised guidance to allow interim orders in exceptional criminal cases. A public inquiry report is due next year.
Read at www.bbc.com
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