NHS trust sacks staff for accessing health records of Nottingham attack victims
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) confirmed the news - with actions being taken against another 14
Last updated 15 hours ago
Eleven members of staff have been sacked for inappropriately accessing the medical records of the victims of the 2023 Nottingham stabbings.
Students Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar, plus grandfather Ian Coates, were stabbed to death by Valdo Calocane in 2023.
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) confirmed the news - with actions being taken against another 14, as part of its own investigations into the inappropriate access of the medical records the victims.
Since starting investigations in early 2025, the Trust has been conducting thorough and professional inquiries to identify wrongdoing and to take necessary action. The first of those investigations are now complete, with families being informed of the outcomes this week.
Actions taken as part of those investigations, to which regulatory standards are applied to ensure a fair approach, include :
- Two first written warnings
- 12 final written warnings
- 11 dismissals
Staff included in these investigations include doctors, nurses, registered medical professionals and admin and clerical colleagues.
Dr Manjeet Shehmar, Medical Director at NUH , 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.”
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) says follow-up activity will now take place with relevant independent regulators, such as the Nursing and Midwifery Council and General Medical Council. The Trust has also informed the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and Nottinghamshire Police.
The Trust also confirmed 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, Medical Director will be giving evidence in May 2026 on the investigations at the Nottingham Inquiry - the ongoing public inquiry into the devastating attacks in June 2023.
In addition, the Trust says its been working with staff to educate them through a ‘Your Responsibility, Your Actions, Their Privacy’ campaign, which offers the information colleagues need to understand roles and responsibilities in relation to data protection and of the serious consequences of data breaches.
Hospital bosses say work is also underway to further protect patient records with a new system that will monitor access, identify suspicious behaviour, and generate alerts, audits and reports.
The public statutory inquiry into the attacks continues.