Southport and Nottingham attack victims demand end to data breaches

Families affected by the Southport and Nottingham attacks have called for stronger safeguards against NHS staff improperly accessing confidential patient records. In an open letter, they described the breaches as a "flagrant abuse of power" and urged ministers and NHS leaders to take further action.

Grace O'Malley-Kumar, Barnaby Webber, both 19, and grandfather Ian Coates, 65, were stabbed to death in the street by Valdo Calocane in Nottingham in 2023. The authors of the letter highlighted how, in the wake of the attack, "staff began prying, while parents were still coming to terms with the deaths of their children.

Other victims were still in hospital fighting for their lives when their records were breached". Last month, Nottingham University Hospitals (NUH) NHS Trust said a total of 15 people had now been sacked as part of its investigation for inappropriately accessing medical records of the Nottingham attacks victims .