Countess of Chester Hospital bosses at the time Lucy Letby committed her crimes have apologised to families for the lack of communication while the incidents were being investigated.

The Thirlwall Inquiry, which came to the conclusion of its first week on Friday, September 13, is examining how the 34-year-old was able to murder seven babies and attempt to murder others from June 2015 to June 2016.

Opening statements have been heard from representatives of core participants in the inquiry. Among those key figures are the former managers at the hospital – former medical director Ian Harvey, former director of nursing and quality Alison Kelly, former chief executive Tony Chambers and former director of people and organisational development Susan Hodkinson.

Kate Blackwell KC, representing the four in her opening statement to the inquiry, said they had accepted the communication with families was "inadequate" and that the families were "kept in the dark".

She told the inquiry the lack of communication was "not done deliberately to cause anguish", as "at that time they believed they were providing the right level of information".

She added: "They could and should have communicated far better than they did", and the families should have had a "single point of contact", the benefit of which would have offered them help and support, as well as offering bereavement services.

Ms Blackwell added managers did not, at the time, have the benefit of all the evidence to which the inquiry now has access, such as Child F's insulin results, while there was "never any suggestion" Dr Ravi Jayaram had concerns about Letby's incident with Child K until March 2017.

However, the managers accepted there was a delay in contacting police, for which they apologised.

Jason Beer KC, representing NHS England in his opening statement to the inquiry, said the NHS wished to apologise for the "lack of compassion and candour", as well as the "lack of support" provided to families affected by Letby.

On Thursday, Andrew Kennedy KC gave an opening statement on behalf of the Countess of Chester Hospital, in which he said the hospital trust would "not seek to shirk its responsibilities" in the inquiry, noting that "losing a child is the greatest sorrow anyone can experience".

He added that by March 21, 2016, there was "a clear opportunity" for the hospital trust to act on rising mortality rates in the neonatal unit, but added there was "an unwillingness to think the unthinkable".

The Countess of Chester Hospital had made several changes since Letby's time on the unit, the inquiry heard, with a department restructure, the completion of a new neonatal unit, and the construction of a new Women and Children's Building.

Letby, from Hereford, is serving 15 whole-life orders after she was convicted at Manchester Crown Court of murdering seven infants and attempting to murder seven others, with two attempts on one of her victims.

The inquiry is expected to sit until early 2025, with findings published by late autumn of that year.

A court order prohibits reporting of the identities of the surviving and dead children involved in the case.