Home / Crime and Justice / NHS Staffing Levels Were 'Dangerous' Before Nottingham Attacks
NHS Staffing Levels Were 'Dangerous' Before Nottingham Attacks
2 Jun
Summary
- Mental health service staffing levels were deemed 'dangerous' before the attacks.
- Valdo Calocane was treated by the service multiple times before his release.
- Inquiry heard of a patient-to-co-ordinator ratio of 27:1, far exceeding recommended levels.
A public inquiry examining the events leading to the Nottingham attacks has heard that an NHS mental health service, which treated perpetrator Valdo Calocane, suffered from 'dangerous' staffing levels.
Calocane, who was responsible for the deaths of Barnaby Webber, Grace O'Malley-Kumar, and Ian Coates on June 13, 2023, had been under the care of Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. He was sectioned four times before his discharge in 2022.
Dr. Vidyah Adamson, clinical lead for Early Intervention in Psychosis (EIP) services at the trust, testified that she raised concerns about staff workloads as early as August 2020. Her presentation indicated the EIP service was 'really struggling' due to a lack of investment and dedicated staff, with the Nottingham city area facing a patient-to-care-coordinator ratio of 27:1. Recommended guidance suggests a ratio of 15:1.
Adamson described the situation as a 'serious risk to patient safety' if caseloads exceeded 25, noting that record-keeping and quality monitoring were not adequately handled upon her joining in January 2020. The Royal College of Nursing's professional lead for mental health, Amber O'Brien, also stated that current system pressures make it difficult for nurses to practice safely, with workforce shortages significantly impacting essential tasks like note-taking.
