“"There is simply no excuse for accessing the records of a patient without a legitimate reason and I hope this sends a really clear message – we will investigate and we will take action. To lose a loved one in the way that the families of Ian, Grace and Barnaby have is heartbreaking enough. I am so sorry that they have had this further compounded by the actions of these staff members. We will continue to investigate inappropriate access to these records and take action as and where necessary. Alongside this, we are doing all we can to educate our staff on appropriate access and how to keep the records of our patients safe. We are also introducing a new system which acts to detect possible data breaches. While the actions of these staff members are disappointing, we know that this represents a small number of our wider workforce. We know staff across the Trust are listening, learning and doing what they can to ensure that only lawful and justified access takes place in our hospitals."
Nottingham Hospitals Dismiss Staff Over Patient Record Breaches
Fifteen staff dismissed and further warnings issued following investigation into inappropriate access of medical records.
By Aisha Mahmood
••3 min read
AI
Generic image of a medical record on a computer screen with a hand near the keyboard.
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust has dismissed 15 staff and issued further warnings in its investigation into the inappropriate access of medical records belonging to Ian Coates, Grace O'Malley-Kumar, and Barnaby Webber.
The Trust has now dismissed a total of 15 staff, alongside 15 final written warnings and two first written warnings, in connection with the investigation. Two cases were found to have no case to answer. Staff included in the investigation comprise doctors, nurses, registered healthcare professionals, and other staff members.
The families of Ian Coates, Grace O'Malley-Kumar, and Barnaby Webber were updated on the outcomes this week. The Trust initiated thorough inquiries in 2025 to identify illegitimate and inappropriate access to records, applying regulatory standards throughout for a fair approach.
The Trust is also discussing outcomes with relevant independent regulators, including the Nursing and Midwifery Council and General Medical Council, and has informed the Information Commissioner’s Office and Nottinghamshire Police. Investigations are ongoing into inappropriate access concerning surviving victims, including Wayne Birkett, Sharon Miller, and Marcin Gawronski.
A 'Your Responsibility, Your Actions, Their Privacy' campaign is educating staff on data protection, and a new system to monitor access, detect breaches, and generate alerts is being introduced, with a pilot period planned before going live early next year.
Breakdown of outcomes so far: No case to answer (2), First written warning (2), Final written warning (15), Dismissal (15).
Based on information from the official source: Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (16/10/2026)
