Victims' families blame NHS and police for Nottingham attack failures

THE FAMILIES of the Nottingham attack victims have accused the NHS and police of having "blood on their hands" for the systemic failures that led to the deaths of Barnaby Webber, Grace O'Malley-Kumar, and Ian Coates on 13 June, 2023.

Valdo Calocane, who committed the murders, was psychotic and suffering from paranoid delusions. A report by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), published on Tuesday, highlighted "a series of errors, omissions, and misjudgements" by mental health services involved in Calocane's care, reported the BBC.

The CQC report found that key risk factors in Calocane's case, including his refusal to take medication and escalating violence, were either missed or omitted.

In a joint statement, the victims' families said, "Clinicians involved at every stage of Calocane’s care must bear a heavy burden of responsibility for their failures and poor decision-making. Along with the Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire police forces, these departments and individual professionals have blood on their hands."

Health secretary Wes Streeting met with the victims' families and acknowledged the "deeply distressing" failures outlined in the report. He noted that if the NHS had acted appropriately, "three innocent people might still be alive." He added, "It is a hard criticism to hear but one the NHS has to take on the chin." The families continue to insist that the inquiry into the case must be statutory, with the power to compel witnesses to provide evidence.

Emma Webber, Barnaby Webber's mother, expressed her grief and frustration, saying, "If any one of those missed opportunities had been addressed, I honestly think Barnaby would still be here today. But, they're not." She highlighted that these issues are systemic across the NHS and not limited to one mental health trust.

Dr Sanjoy Kumar, father of Grace O'Malley-Kumar, emphasised the need for a comprehensive inquiry with real authority, stating, "We would like it to be a statutory public inquiry led by a judge, and one that has real teeth to make a difference and change things in our country."

The CQC's review of Calocane's interactions with Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust from May 2020 to September 2022 revealed that, despite being sectioned multiple times under the Mental Health Act, critical risks were consistently overlooked, reported the BBC. The report also found "poor planning and engagement" with Calocane's family, who had raised concerns about his mental state.

Ifti Majid, chief executive of the NHS trust, offered his "sincere apologies" to the victims' families and acknowledged the trust's failures. He stated that processes and standards have been significantly improved since the review. The government announced that NHS England will conduct further scrutiny into Calocane's case as part of an independent homicide review.

Emma Webber warned that similar tragedies are inevitable unless there are drastic changes in the mental health care system, stating, "It’s not a one-off tragedy. There are more Valdo Calocanes out in our community," The Telegraph reported her as saying.