Letby NHS trust deleted documents, tribunal told

A judge has said he was "troubled" after the Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Trust deleted potentially important evidence ahead of an employment tribunal, including documents relevant to the Thirlwall Inquiry into the crimes of Lucy Letby.

Former chief executive Dr Susan Gilby is suing the trust and its chairman, Ian Haythornthwaite, claiming constructive unfair dismissal.

The tribunal was also told documents relevant to the Thirlwall Inquiry into the crimes of Letby had also been deleted from Dr Gilby's email account by her former employers - although these were later recovered.

In a ruling on a preliminary application, employment judge David Franey said the failure to preserve certain emails, messages and documents was "unexplained".

Dr Gilby was appointed medical director of the Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in August 2018, a month after Letby was first arrested, and became chief executive in 2019.

She was suspended in December 2022 and gave notice of her resignation a few days later, although her contract ran until June 2023.

Dr Gilby said she had made a series of "protected disclosures" about the chairman of the board, Mr Haythornthwaite, who is named as a joint respondent in the claim.

After she accused him of inappropriate and bullying behaviour, she claimed he became "hostile" and "aggressive" and "co-ordinated" her suspension, the tribunal heard.

Both the trust and Mr Haythornthwaite deny the accusations and claim Dr Gilby's treatment was a "consequence of genuine and substantial performance concerns".

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Source: BBC News, 4 October 2024