Lucy Letby failed nurse placement for being ‘cold’

Lucy Letby failed her final year student nurse placement because she was “cold” and lacking empathy with patients and families, a public inquiry has heard.

Her assessor, Nicola Lightfoot, told how felt she did not have the “overall characteristics” to become a successful nurse.

The Thirlwall Inquiry heard Letby later passed a retrieval placement after requesting a new assessor, claiming she felt “intimidated” by Ms Lightfoot.

She went on to murder seven babies and attempt to kill a further seven on the Countess of Chester Hospital’s neonatal unit between June 2015 and June 2016.

Ms Lightfoot, deputy ward manager on the hospital’s children’s unit, told the inquiry, which is examining the NHS response to Letby, she found the nurse to be “cold”.

“I did not find a natural warmth exuding from her which I expect from a children’s nurse,” she said.

In her report on Letby in July 2011, Ms Lightfoot found that Letby’s clinical knowledge was “not where it should be”, particularly around medication and correct dosages.

Any student who failed their final placement had the opportunity to repeat it and achieve the competencies they had not achieved, the inquiry heard.

Her next mentor, Sarah Jane Murphy, said she was “conflicted” about passing Letby in light of Ms Lightfoot’s comments but felt she had met the standards required.

Describing Letby as “quiet and shy”, she said: “She didn’t show good interpersonal skills with children, parents, nurses or the wider team.”

She added that Letby “often had quite an expressionless look” which some staff “found awkward”.

The inquiry continues.