NHS trust dismisses 11 staff members over Nottingham attack victims' records

The Trust today (21 May) confirmed that 11 members of staff have been dismissed, with actions being taken against another 14, as part of their investigation into the inappropriate access of the medical records of Ian Coates, Grace O'Malley- Kumar and Barnaby Webber.

The three victims were stabbed to death on 13 June 2023 by Valdo Calocane, who was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in 2020.

Staff included in the investigations were doctors, nurses, registered medical professionals and admin and clerical colleagues.   

The Trust noted that follow-up activity will now take place with relevant independent regulators, such as the Nursing and Midwifery Council and General Medical Council. 

It added that it has informed the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and Nottinghamshire Police.   

Dr Manjeet Shehmar, Medical Director at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “The families of Ian, Grace and Barnaby have had to endure much pain and heartache, and I am truly sorry that the actions of some of our staff have added to that.  

"To access the medical records of our patients without a legitimate reason is totally unacceptable and we are doing all we can to identify where and how that has happened. I hope that the families, staff and our communities feel reassured by the outcomes so far, that we are taking this seriously and will continue to do so.  

“We know that the vast majority of our staff understand that appropriate access is a fundamental principle of our duty of care and know that it is essential that access to patient records is lawful, justified, and directly related to their role. By accessing records inappropriately, staff are damaging the valuable contributions made by those colleagues providing care for those patients. In those cases where it does  happen, I hope that this is a very clear reminder that we will take appropriate action.”

Further investigations are ongoing into inappropriate access, including into the files of surviving victims, including Wayne Birkett, Sharon Miller and Marcin Gawronski.

Dr Manjeet Shehmar will be giving evidence in May 2026 on the investigations at the Nottingham Inquiry - the ongoing public inquiry into the attacks in June 2023.

Lottie Winson