Context
Karen Townsend, HR Business Partner at the Countess of Chester, managed the day-to-day of the grievance process Letby filed against the consultants who raised concerns about her. Her Thirlwall Inquiry evidence documents the HR mechanics of the “apology letter” sequence in specific detail.
Key ground
Karen Townsend
I was working within the HR framework applicable to a grievance raised by a staff member against colleagues. In retrospect, the framework did not properly reflect that the grievance was against clinicians who had raised a patient-safety concern. The outcome — consultants being asked to apologise — was wrong, and I accept that.
Read alongside
Sue Hodkinson, Dr Newby (on the receiving end of the apology-letter requirement).