Ex-Hospital Managers Arrested in Letby Inquiry

Three former senior managers at the Countess of Chester Hospital have been arrested under Operation Duet on suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter, relating to the period when nurse Lucy Letby murdered seven babies and attempted to murder several others between 2015 and 2016. The investigation initially focused on potential corporate manslaughter at the NHS Trust but later expanded to scrutinize individual leaders' actions or inactions. All three individuals, whose names have not been released, are out on bail pending further inquiries. Police have stressed these arrests do not affect Letby's convictions, as she is serving multiple whole-life orders and her appeals have been rejected. Authorities are also examining whether Letby committed additional crimes and are reviewing hospital leadership's decision-making during the spike in infant deaths. The public inquiry into the hospital's handling of the situation is ongoing, with findings expected in early 2026.