In response to the harrowing and tragic killings of Barnaby Webber, Grace O’Malley-Kumar, and Ian Coates in Nottingham last June, Health and Social Care Secretary Victoria Atkins has taken a decisive step by ordering a special review into Nottinghamshire Healthcare Foundation Trust. The focus will not only be on the specific case of Valdo Calocane, who was treated for paranoid schizophrenia at the Trust, but also on broader issues within mental health care provision in Nottinghamshire.
The review, to be conducted by The Care Quality Commission (CQC), will run in parallel with the Independent Mental Health Homicide Review ordered by NHS England. This dual approach aims to provide comprehensive insights into the circumstances surrounding the tragic incident. Concerns related to patient safety, quality of care, and public safety will be thoroughly examined, with the CQC granting access to witness statements and oral evidence from the criminal trial.
Highlighting the urgency of identifying any failings, the Health and Social Care Secretary has set a deadline for the CQC to present its findings in March. The government will then issue its response to the review.
Health and Social Care Secretary Victoria Atkins expressed her condolences, stating, “Our mental health services must ensure both the care of patients and the safety of the public. I hope the review provides the families and the public with some much-needed answers, and that it helps the Trust to improve the standard of mental health care in Nottinghamshire.”
The investigations extend beyond Nottinghamshire Healthcare Foundation Trust, with recent staff suspensions prompting ongoing inquiries at Highbury Hospital. A rapid improvement plan, overseen by a new oversight board, is already in progress.
Rampton Hospital, part of the Trust and one of three high-security hospitals across the country, received an ‘inadequate’ inspection rating from the CQC. The government has tasked the regulator with assessing the progress made by the hospital in enhancing standards since that inspection.
Chris Dzikiti, Director of Mental Health at CQC, stated, “We will conduct a rapid review into mental health services in Nottingham to understand whether there are any practical actions that can be taken to improve the quality of services and ensure people receive safe and effective care.”
In a separate initiative, the government announced that the new Health Services Safety Investigations Body will soon commence a national investigation into mental health inpatient care settings. This includes an examination of inpatient deaths and the transition between child and adult mental health services, aiming to provide recommendations to improve safety standards across the country.
NHS national mental health director Claire Murdoch underscored the need for a thorough review involving all agencies, stating, “It is essential that there is a thorough review that looks into all agencies involved, and to ensure appropriate action is taken.”
