The Thirlwall Inquiry, led by Lady Justice Thirlwall, has released its findings regarding the care provided at the Countess of Chester Hospital neonatal unit where Lucy Letby was employed. The inquiry characterized the hospital's response to concerns about the nurse as a "complete failure to protect babies."

According to the inquiry, the failure of hospital leadership and medical staff to act on early warnings had direct consequences for patient outcomes. The report specifically identifies that if Letby had been removed from the unit when concerns were first raised, it is likely that two newborn twins would have survived and five other infants would have been spared harm. Furthermore, the inquiry suggests that a third baby might also have survived had management taken decisive action earlier.

While both the BBC and The Guardian agree on the core finding of a "complete failure" to protect infants, the outlets differ in the level of detail provided regarding the specific impact on the victims. The Guardian explicitly quantifies the potential survival and injury outcomes for ten specific infants, whereas the BBC report focuses on the broader institutional failure of the neonatal unit. Both sources confirm that the inquiry serves as an official investigation into the systemic failures that allowed Letby to continue working despite growing concerns from staff.