The mother of Barnaby Webber, a 19-year-old from Taunton who was tragically killed in the Nottingham knife attack, has spoken out following the dismissal of 11 NHS staff caught accessing confidential medical records related to the victims.
Barnaby lost his life alongside fellow students Grace O’Malley-Kumar and caretaker Ian Coates during Valdo Calocane’s rampage in Nottingham in June 2023. The incident shook the community, and now Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust has revealed serious breaches of patient confidentiality surrounding these tragic events.
In total, 11 NHS employees—including doctors, nurses, and administrative personnel—have been dismissed for unauthorized access to sensitive records. An additional 14 staff members have faced disciplinary actions such as written warnings and final warnings. Authorities, including the General Medical Council and the Nursing and Midwifery Council, have been notified as part of ongoing regulatory processes.
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Emma Webber, Barnaby’s mother, expressed relief that action was taken but described the situation as “yet another devastating blow.” She highlighted the added pain inflicted on families who were already struggling with grief, emphasizing that unauthorized access to medical files was a violation of their trust during an intensely difficult time.
Dr. Manjeet Shehmar, medical director at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, issued a heartfelt apology to the affected families. “The families of Ian, Grace, and Barnaby have endured profound suffering,” he said. “It is completely unacceptable for any member of our staff to breach patient confidentiality, and I sincerely regret that these actions have compounded their pain.”
These revelations come amid an ongoing public inquiry into the Nottingham attacks. Investigations continue into unauthorized access involving the records of surviving victims Wayne Birkett, Sharon Miller, and Marcin Gawronski, as the trust works to resolve the breaches and reinforce its commitment to patient privacy.