Over 30 NHS staff suspended on claims of falsifying records and harming patients
More than 30 NHS workers have been suspended from a healthcare trust - while it investigates allegations of falsifying records and mistreating patients.
Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust treats more than two million patients a year from a number of care units, including Highbury Hospital, where Nottingham killer Valdo Calocane was admitted to in-patient psychiatric services and discharged multiple times before stabbing three people to death.
The 32-year-old, who killed students Barnaby Webber, 19, and Grace O'Malley-Kumar, 19, and school caretaker Ian Coates, 65, had previously been detained in hospital four times under mental health laws.
Prosecutor Karim Khalil KC told Nottingham Crown Court on Tuesday: "The theme of [Calocane] being prescribed medication but declining to take it is a constantly recurring one."
On May 23 2020, Calocane attended hospital believing he was having a heart attack, but was arrested after causing damage to a door when he returned to his flat. He was detained under the Mental Health Act and re-admitted to in-patient psychiatric services at Highbury Hospital, before being discharged on June 17 into the care of the Nottingham City Crisis Team.
Baby boy has spent his life in hospital as doctors are 'scared' to discharge him
Calocane was advised to take medication for a minimum of six to nine months, but had stopped taking it and was readmitted to hospital in July 2020 after attempting to force his way into a flat. Calocane was again admitted at the end of January 2022 and discharged on February 24.
Nottingham attacker Valdo Calocane was treated at one of the Trust's hospitals (PA)Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust confirmed that more than 30 of its staff members were suspended across the organisation. The names of the hospitals where staff work, as well details surrounding the case of suspensions has not yet been released.
The organisation, which employs more than 10,000 people, provides a range of services, including mental health services, community health, intellectual disability, and forensic and offender healthcare services throughout Nottinghamshire and the surrounding areas. It is one of the largest mental health and community trusts based in the East Midlands.
A spokesperson for the Trust said: “Nottinghamshire Healthcare is committed to ensuring we provide the very best and safest care we possibly can for our patients. We take any allegations against members of staff very seriously.
"Where there is an allegation that staff conduct has fallen below what we would expect for our patients, we will investigate fully and fairly and sometimes it is necessary to suspend staff members to enable this. Unfortunately, over recent weeks it has been necessary to suspend over 30 colleagues across the organisation whilst investigations take place.
“We are grateful to colleagues who have stepped in to support services at this time and know that the vast majority of the over 10,000 members of staff at the Trust demonstrate the compassion, kindness and genuine care we value and expect. As investigations into these allegations are ongoing we are unable to comment further.”
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