A HEALTHCARE worker is still being questioned in relation to baby deaths at the Countess of Chester Hospital.

She was arrested on Tuesday morning on suspicion of murdering eight babies at the hospital’s neonatal unit and attempting to kill a further six.

On the same day police officers and forensic experts carried out a search of a home on Westbourne Avenue, Blacon, belonging to 28-year-old children’s nurse Lucy Letby.

Cheshire Police have confirmed a house was searched in the city as part of their investigation – but would not say if it was the Blacon address.

Detectives have been probing the deaths of 17 babies and 15 non-fatal collapses at the Countess of Chester since May last year.

The incidents were said to have taken place between March 2015 and July 2016.

Liverpool Women’s NHS Foundation Trust released a statement yesterday confirming the healthcare worker under investigation had trained at its hospital.

A spokesman said: "A healthcare worker currently involved in a police investigation undertook placements at Liverpool Women's during their training.

“We are co-operating with police as part of their investigation which includes a routine review of patients cared for on our Neonatal Unit during the time of these placements.

“There is currently no suggestion that any patients at Liverpool Women's came to any harm in relation to this investigation."

Bosses at the Countess have also sought to reassure the public that its neonatal unit is safe.

Medical Director Ian Harvey said: “We are continuing to support Cheshire Police with their ongoing investigation.

“Asking the police to look into this was not something we did lightly, but we need to do everything we can to understand what has happened here and get the answers we and the families so desperately want.”

He added: “The Countess is now equivalent to a Level 1 Special Care Baby Unit and we are confident the unit is safe to continue in its current form.”

The Countess neonatal unit remains open to women over 32 weeks in their pregnancy.