Exclusive:
Nottingham University Hospitals Trust is investigating allegations medics might have hacked into A&E notes after Barnaby Webber, Grace O’Malley Kumar, and Ian Coates were killed by Valdo Calocane
An NHS trust has launched an urgent probe over claims healthcare staff illegally accessed medical records belonging to the Nottingham attack victims, The Mirror can reveal.
Nottingham University Hospitals Trust is investigating after it emerged medics might have hacked into A&E notes made hours after Barnaby Webber, Grace O’Malley Kumar, and Ian Coates were killed by paranoid schizophrenic Valdo Calocane. Today their heartbroken families were horrified by the news and said: “We cannot begin to describe how distressing and traumatic it is for us to learn of yet more revelations regarding the actions of individuals in the horror of losing our loved ones.
“These are not just alleged data breaches but gross invasions of privacy and civil liberty. For individuals to choose to access information regarding the vicious attack and murder of Barney, Grace and Ian with no reason to do so is sickening. It’s gross and inexcusable voyeurism at the most repugnant level.”
Solicitor Neil Hudgell, who represents the families, added: “Every week seems to bring fresh trauma to an already appalling situation. We are actively seeking a complete audit trail of who accessed records, when, and for what purpose. We want to know whether any unlawfully accessed material has been shared.”
The families learned of the potential breach in a letter, seen by the Mirror, from the Trust’s Medical Director Manjeet Shehmar. It details how an investigation was launched after a senior staff member reported a doctor for allegedly accessing the records without a legitimate reason. The police have also been informed.
It’s comes after a damning independent report published last month slammed Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, which heads up mental health for the region, for discharging Calocane when he refused to engage. It also detailed how the killer was not forced to take his anti-psychotic medication, in part, because he did not like needles.
Just days earlier, hospital officials were slapped with a £1.6million fine for a “catalogue of failures” by maternity staff that led to the deaths of three babies in 2021. They earlier pleaded guilty to six charges of failing to provide safe care and treatment to three babies and their mums.
Today’s revelation follows a string of other alleged data breaches linked to the Nottingham horror on June 13 2023. We previously told how HM Prison Service and HM Courts and Tribunal Service launched a probe over claims staff unlawfully accessed and shared images of the victims.
Other agencies probing suspected breaches include Nottinghamshire Police, Nottingham City Council and Nottingham NHS mental health and acute care teams. Last year a police constable Matthew Gell, who accessed records on Calocane, was found guilty of gross misconduct. He opened files and even forwarded the contents to two people outside of the force following the triple killing.
Mechanical engineering graduate Calocane, 33, was sentenced to an indefinite hospital order in January last year after pleading guilty to three counts of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility. He fatally stabbed Nottingham University students Barnaby and Grace, both 19, before turning on school caretaker Ian, 65. He was under Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust’s care from May 2020 to September 2022.
Dr Manjeet Shehmar, Medical Director at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “We are currently investigating concerns that members of staff may have inappropriately accessed the medical records of Ian Coates, Grace O’Malley-Kumar and Barnaby Webber.
“We have informed the families and will continue to keep them updated throughout the investigation. The families of Ian, Grace and Barnaby have already had to endure much pain and heartache and I’m truly sorry that this will add further to their suffering.
“Through our investigation, we will find out what happened and will not hesitate to take action as necessary.”
Last month, Keir Starmer confirmed a statutory, judge-led public inquiry into the attacks will take place “in a matter of weeks”. During a meeting at Downing Street, the families were told a “number of different agencies” would be scrutinised. The PM also acknowledged it had “taken a long time” to reach a decision on announcing an inquiry. A retired judge is due to be appointed soon, with Mr Starmer adding: “As soon as that happens, the process will start.”
Of the inquiry, Barnaby’s mum Emma Webber said: “Alongside the statutory inquiry that will hold individuals and organisations to account for their failures in the events leading up to and after the events of the 13th June, we will make sure that all of those who have behaved inappropriately are also held to account.”
The potential breach by NHS staff follows a string of high-profile data infringements in recent years. In November, a tribunal found three Met Police officers guilty of gross misconduct after they accessed files relating to Sarah Everard, who was killed by serving Met officer Wayne Couzens. And months earlier, the Mirror revealed how the hospital treating the Princess of Wales had launched an official investigation over claims staff unlawfully accessed Kate’s medical records when she was receiving in-patient care after major abdominal surgery.