NHS ombudsman calls for Letby inquiry to be put on statutory footing

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The NHS ombudsman has called for a planned inquiry into the child serial killer Lucy Letby to be put on a statutory footing and for there to be a wider review of leadership and culture in the health service. “The second thing is that we need a… cross-party, independent review of leadership, accountability and culture in the NHS.” Mr Behrens said in his letter: “Although the appalling actions of Lucy Letby are extremely rare, unfortunately, the culture of fear in NHS trusts is not isolated to this case. “Leaders dismissing the concerns of staff is a pattern of behaviour that we see repeated across the NHS.” The ombudsman also told the BBC he wanted his powers expanded to allow him to investigate wider issues in addition to his current role, which he described as being focused on the complaints of NHS users. Under the law I cannot, as it presently stands, I cannot look at the complaints of staff, only at service users Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman Rob Behrens He said: “I have had clinicians throughout the last six years get in touch with me and say they have patient safety issues to raise but they fear that if they raise them they will be disciplined and they will lose their careers.” Mr Behrens added: “Under the law I cannot, as it presently stands, I cannot look at the complaints of staff, only at service users.” He said: “The whistleblowing legislation in England doesn’t work properly and it needs badly reforming in a way that has taken place in Scotland,” adding: “I have been arguing for six years that my powers are too constrained.” The ombudsman added: “All my international counterparts have the power to look into issues that have not been complained about.