A further 15 members of staff at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust have been dismissed after accessing the medical records of victims of the 2023 Nottingham attacks without a legitimate reason.
The latest dismissals bring further action against staff found to have inappropriately accessed confidential patient information relating to Barnaby Webber, Grace O’Malley-Kumar and Ian Coates, who were fatally stabbed by Valdo Calocane in June 2023.
The trust announced the dismissals on Friday, confirming that the victims’ families, the Information Commissioner’s Office and Nottinghamshire Police had been informed.
The action follows final written warnings issued to 12 members of staff in May over similar breaches.
Families condemn ‘disgraceful’ breaches
The victims’ families have spoken about the distress caused by the unauthorised access to their loved ones’ medical records.
Grace O’Malley-Kumar’s father, Dr Sanjoy Kumar, described the behaviour as “disgraceful” and said it was time to address the failures.
Barnaby Webber’s mother, Emma Webber, said the breaches had come to light because the families insisted on an investigation.
She described the intrusion as horrifying and traumatising, adding that although action had been taken, it was not enough.
Trust apologises and promises further action
NUH medical director Dr Manjeet Shehmar apologised to the families, acknowledging that there was no excuse for accessing a patient’s records without a legitimate reason.
She said the families’ devastating loss had been compounded by the actions of staff members and confirmed that investigations into inappropriate access were continuing.
The trust is also working with the General Medical Council and the Nursing and Midwifery Council, which have powers to remove medical and nursing professionals from their respective registers where appropriate.
New monitoring system planned
NUH is introducing a system designed to continuously monitor access to patient records, identify suspicious activity and generate automated alerts.
Staff training on confidentiality and the appropriate use of medical records is also continuing.
The trust’s investigation forms part of efforts to address serious concerns about patient confidentiality and ensure that sensitive medical information is accessed only when there is a legitimate professional reason.
