Context
Sue Hodkinson was Director of HR from 2015 to 2018. She oversaw the grievance process Letby filed against the consultants who had raised concerns about her, and the “apology letter” sequence. Her Thirlwall Inquiry evidence addresses how HR processes were brought to bear on what was at its root a patient-safety dispute.
Key passages
Sue Hodkinson
I was operating within what I understood to be the established HR framework for dealing with a grievance raised by a member of staff against colleagues. I accept that the framework does not cater well for a situation in which the subject of the grievance overlaps with an active patient-safety concern.
Counsel to the Inquiry
You were party, were you not, to the decision that consultants who had raised concerns about a pattern of deaths should sign a letter apologising to Ms Letby?
Sue Hodkinson
I was aware of the letter. I did not draft it. I accept that in retrospect the step should not have been taken.
What to read alongside this
See Sue Hodkinson, Karen Townsend (HR Business Partner) and Dr Brearey’s account of being asked to sign the apology letter.