Executives at the Countess of Chester Hospital have apologized for the significant delay in reporting concerns about nurse Lucy Letby to the police, acknowledging that it took until May 2017 to do so despite being aware of rising mortality rates in the neonatal unit. During the Thirlwall Inquiry, which examines the circumstances surrounding Letby's crimes, former hospital managers expressed regret for keeping the families of the victims uninformed, stating that they did not intend to cause anguish. They maintained that their initial investigations aimed to uncover evidence and were not attempts to suppress concerns regarding Letby, who was convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven more. Kate Blackwell KC, representing the former managers, emphasized that communication with bereaved families was inadequate and could have been handled better. The inquiry is set to explore why neither the police nor relevant external bodies were contacted sooner despite raised alarms from consultants. The former managers expressed their sorrow for the hurt caused, asserting that they believed they were providing accurate information at the time.