An inquiry revealed that a triple killer was discharged from mental health services because healthcare workers could not locate him, raising serious concerns about public safety. On June 13, 2023, Valdo Calocane stabbed to death three people in Nottingham, UK.
Calocane had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. He was under the care of Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust for two years before his discharge. Healthcare workers lost track of him months before the killings.
Calocane’s last engagement with the Early Intervention in Psychosis (EIP) team occurred by phone on July 16, 2022. After that, he was discharged to his GP because Emma Robinson, a team leader at the trust, stated they could not find him to work with him.
Robinson noted that it felt safer to discharge someone back to their GP if they could not be engaged. A consultant psychiatrist had warned earlier that Calocane would end up killing someone.
Key statistics:
- 3 people killed by Valdo Calocane
- 19 years old: age of Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar
- 65 years old: age of Ian Coates
- 2 years: duration Calocane was under care before discharge
- 9 months: time Calocane was not seen before discharge
The inquiry has raised significant questions about the effectiveness of mental health services. It highlights the need for improved tracking and engagement strategies for patients like Calocane. The incident underscores ongoing concerns about public safety and mental health management within the NHS.
