The inquiry set up to examine events at the Countess of Chester Hospital during the time serial killer nurse Lucy Letby worked there is to begin next week.

The Thirlwall Inquiry, to be led by Lady Justice Kathryn Thirlwall, will take place at Liverpool Town Hall from Tuesday, September 10, at 10am. It is expected to last until the end of the year.

It will examine how the nurse was able to murder babies on the Countess of Chester Hospital’s neonatal unit in 2015 and 2016.

Letby, of Hereford, has been sentenced to 15 whole life orders after she was convicted of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder seven others, with two attempts on one of her victims, following two trials.

The hearings will be held in public and those involved in the inquiry, including the families and media, will be able to apply to watch remotely over live links.

The Thirlwall Inquiry website – where transcripts will be available after each day's hearing – has confirmed the first two days of the inquiry, on Tuesday and Wednesday, will be hearing opening statements from counsel to the inquiry. This will be followed on Thursday and Friday by opening statements from legal representatives on behalf of core participants.

Core participants include the families of children named on the indictment, the Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, NHS England, as well as former Countess chief executive Tony Chambers, former medical director Ian Harvey, former director of nursing Alison Kelly and former HR director Susan Hodkinson.

Other core participants are the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, the Department for Health and Social Care, the Nursing and Midwifery Council and the Care Quality Commission.

Previously, we reported the inquiry would not be livestreamed to the public, despite lawyers for the families arguing that would prevent the spread of “grossly offensive” conspiracy theories.

Lady Justice Thirlwall responded: "I do not accept that this is a risk the inquiry should take. Not only is there a significant risk to the inquiry itself, I take account of the human cost of a breach.

“For a parent, who has already suffered so much, to be identified online is unthinkable.”

Reporting restrictions remain in place preventing any parent or child from the original Lucy Letby trial indictment being identified. Reports instead referred to Child/Baby A-Q.