referral

A senior Met source accepted a data breach of this kind would normally result in a referral to the Information Commissioner, who has the power to issue penalties or fines under data protection laws.

But he denied threatening the doctors with referral the General Medical Council regulator, adding that this had been a threat made instead by Lucy Letby’s father John.

Meanwhile, the NHS has said it is treating more people with gambling problems, with its latest figures showing referrals have more than doubled on the same period last year.

The Thirlwall Inquiry, which is examining how Letby was able to commit her crimes, heard Ms Kelly did not submit a safeguarding referral to the local safeguarding board until March 2018.

Mr Hines says a successful referral unit “should be an intervention, not a destination” and that one of the most valuable things is seeing “happy children… having successes they didn’t believe that they could have”.