LUCY LETBY’S ‘DOCTOR BOYFRIEND’ HELPED HER GET HOSPITAL PLACEMENTS — EVEN AFTER SHE WAS REMOVED FROM THE BABY WARD

Newly published findings from the Thirlwall Inquiry reveal how Dr. Mark Deakin continued to support Lucy Letby after concerns had emerged about her involvement in the deaths and collapses of babies.

For years, the doctor known during Lucy Letby’s trial only as “Dr A” was protected by a reporting restriction.

Now, following his death earlier this year, his identity has been revealed — and newly published findings from the Thirlwall Inquiry have shed further light on his relationship with the convicted former neonatal nurse.

Dr. Mark Deakin was a married father of two who worked with Letby at the Countess of Chester Hospital.

The inquiry heard that he remained close to her even after she was removed from frontline neonatal nursing amid concerns about babies in her care.

And according to newly published evidence, he helped arrange opportunities for Letby to observe work at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, where he was working as a locum consultant.

THE SUPPORT CONTINUED AFTER LETBY LEFT THE WARD

Letby was removed from the neonatal unit in 2016 and moved into a non-clinical role after doctors had raised concerns about what was happening on the ward.

But the inquiry found that Dr. Deakin continued to support her.

He arranged for her to attend theatre observation sessions at Alder Hey on six occasions.

In an email to colleagues, he described Letby as a nurse from the Countess of Chester who wanted to observe theatre sessions as part of her “personal development.”

However, he did not tell Alder Hey that Letby was no longer working directly with babies because of concerns surrounding her role on the neonatal unit.

The inquiry found that this information should have been made clearer.

HE ALSO HELPED WITH HER NURSING REVALIDATION

The revelations did not stop there.

In August 2017, Dr. Deakin helped with Letby’s application for nursing revalidation with the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

He confirmed that he had worked with her on the Countess of Chester neonatal unit between September 2015 and September 2016.

But the inquiry noted that Letby had actually stopped working on the neonatal ward in early July 2016.

By the time the form was completed, Dr. Deakin knew that police were investigating concerns surrounding Letby.

The inquiry criticized the process and said the system needed to do more than simply “tick boxes.”

MORE THAN 1,300 FACEBOOK MESSAGES

The relationship between Letby and Dr. Deakin also came under intense scrutiny.

The inquiry heard that they exchanged 1,355 Facebook messages between June and September 2016.

Some of those messages concerned babies who had deteriorated while the pair were working together.

In one exchange involving Baby N, a baby Letby was convicted of attempting to murder, she asked Dr. Deakin about the child’s condition and whether she had done anything wrong.

Dr. Deakin later acknowledged during the inquiry that he had shared too much confidential medical information.

He said that, in hindsight, the messages were inappropriate.

WAS IT REALLY A ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIP?

During Letby’s criminal trial, prosecutors described her as being deeply infatuated with Dr. Deakin.

However, Letby denied having a romantic relationship with him.

She described them as “best friends.”

The doctor was married, and his relationship with Letby became an important part of the prosecution’s discussion of her possible motives.

However, no motive was required for Letby’s convictions, and the inquiry’s findings about Dr. Deakin do not establish that a romantic relationship caused Letby’s crimes.

DR. DEAKIN’S FINAL YEARS

Dr. Deakin later worked as a specialist diabetes consultant at Alder Hey.

After Letby was convicted, he was investigated over his communications with her.

He was subsequently dismissed from Alder Hey for gross misconduct.

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