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Victims Ignored in NHS Mental Health Report
27 Jan
Summary
- Survivors of a fatal attack were unaware of a critical CQC report.
- The report found NHS mental health services were not humane or dignified.
- Victims demand inclusion and that their voices be heard by the government.
Survivors of the devastating June 2023 Nottingham attacks, which claimed three lives and injured others, have revealed they were not given prior warning of a critical report concerning the NHS mental health services involved in the care of attacker Valdo Calocane. Wayne Birkett, a survivor still experiencing severe pain, stated it was "embarrassing" not to have been informed about the Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection.
The CQC's findings, published in January 2026, indicated that Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust's mental health services "were not always humane, dignified or gave high quality care" during the period Calocane was under their care between May 2020 and September 2022. The trust was found to have breached regulations, requiring an action plan, with seven of its 18 services rated as needing improvement.
Wayne Birkett and his lawyer, Greg Almond, who also represents other survivors, highlighted that they only learned of the report through the press a day before its publication. They are set to meet with Health Secretary Wes Streeting on February 5, 2026, to advocate for victim inclusion and improved mental health services. A public inquiry into the attacks, chaired by Deborah Taylor, is scheduled to commence on February 23, 2026, with findings expected within two years.
