The nottingham inquiry

An inquiry revealed that a triple killer, Valdo Calocane, was discharged from mental health services on June 13, 2023, due to healthcare workers’ inability to locate him, raising serious concerns about public safety.

Calocane stabbed to death three individuals in Nottingham: Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar, both aged 19, and Ian Coates, aged 65. He had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and was under the care of the Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust for two years prior to his discharge.

Before his discharge, Calocane had not been seen for nine months. His last engagement with the Early Intervention in Psychosis (EIP) team occurred by phone on July 16, 2022. A consultant psychiatrist had previously warned that Calocane could end up killing someone.

Emma Robinson, a team leader at the trust, stated, “Yes, because we couldn’t find him to treat him or engage him.” She indicated that it felt safer to discharge someone back to their GP if they could not be engaged.

The decision to release Calocane back to his GP instead of continuing care has raised alarms among mental health advocates. Robinson noted, “It’s dire for me to think this now, but I used to think sometimes – is it worse to have somebody open on caseloads that you’re not engaging with? Should we be discharging them instead?” This reflects ongoing tensions within mental health services regarding patient engagement and public safety.

The inquiry will likely scrutinize the protocols surrounding patient discharge and the effectiveness of communication between healthcare providers. The implications of this case extend beyond individual responsibility; they highlight systemic issues within mental health services that require urgent attention.