Baby monitors to be installed in all hospital cots in the UK

The United Kingdom government is preparing to install baby monitors in cots across the UK as one of the recommendations from a report into the Lucy Letby murders.

Lady Justice Thirlwall, chair of the inquiry, concluded that there had been “complete failure” to protect babies at the hospital and some of the deaths could have been avoided if action was taken earlier on concerns around Letby’s behaviour.

The inquiry examined how the killings went undetected and reviewed the hospital’s response to concerns raised about Letby.

One of the recommendations from the report was to install cameras in cots in every neonatal ward in the UK, and UK health secretary Yvette Cooper says the government is preparing to roll this out.

Cooper says the cameras will also allow parents to “feel better connected with their babies when they aren’t able to be with them in person”.

Letby was convicted in August 2023 of seven murders and seven attempted killings and acquitted of two charges of attempted murder.

The following year, she was convicted of trying to murder another newborn baby following a re-trial.

Letby has always maintained her innocence, saying she never harmed or intended to harm any child in her care.

Read more on the Lucy Letby case: sbs.com.au/news/article/inquirys-new-light-on-complete-failure-around-lucy-letby-murders-heres-what-we-know/nik9070bp

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