NHS faces review over Nottingham knife killer
Bereaved families want to know why Valdo Calocane was in the communuty
A SPECIAL review has been ordered into the NHS Trust in Nottingham where Valdo Calocane was treated before he stabbed three people to death.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) will have until March to report back on the conduct of the Nottinghamshire Healthcare Foundation Trust in the hope of providing further answers for the grieving families. The 32 year-old stabbed to death Nottingham University students Barnaby Webber and Grace O’malley-kumar before killing school caretaker Ian Coates in a knife rampage in the city on Jun 13.
Emma Webber, Barnaby’s mother, has called for a public inquiry into the killings, after it emerged Calocane had been sectioned four times since May 2020, but discharged on each occasion.
The former engineering student had not been taking his anti-psychotic medication and had a warrant out for his arrest after attacking a police officer.
Last week, a judge ordered that Calocane should be detained indefinitely at a high-security hospital after the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) accepted a plea of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility.
Victoria Atkins, the Health and Social Care Secretary, has now ordered the CQC to investigate the case, alongside the Independent Mental Health Homicide Review commissioned by NHS England. The CQC review will be asked to look at wider issues within mental healthcare provision in Nottinghamshire, with particular focus on patient and public safety.
Announcing the urgent review, Ms Atkins said: “My thoughts remain with the families and friends of Barnaby, Grace, and Ian, who lost their lives in such a tragic, cruel and barbaric way.
“It is crucial that our mental health services ensure both the care of patients and the safety of the public.”
Chris Dzikiti, director of mental health at CQC, said: “We will conduct a rapid review into Nottingham to understand whether there are practical actions which can be taken to improve the quality of services and ensure people receive safe and effective care.”
Claire Murdoch, NHS national mental health director, said: “It is essential there is a thorough review that looks into all agencies involved, and to ensure appropriate action is taken. NHS England is commissioning an independent investigation into the case, and we will cooperate fully with the Government’s review of the trust’s mental health services, while continuing to provide the trust with intensive support to protect patient safety.
“I hope the review provides the families and public with some much-needed answers, and that it helps the trust to improve the standard of mental health care in Nottinghamshire.”
There are also urgent questions over the police’s handling of the Calocane case after it was revealed he had been on the run for several months. Asst Chief Constable Rob Griffin, of Nottinghamshire Police, has admitted more could have been done to locate him.
Mrs Webber accused the force of having “blood on its hands”, saying: “If you had just done your jobs properly there’s a very good chance my beautiful boy would be alive today.”
It has also emerged that just weeks before the stabbings Calocane attacked two security guards in Leicestershire. Police were called to the incident but he had left the scene and he was never arrested.