Family of man with schizophrenia who killed his grandfather say health trust has learnt nothing

• Health Correspondent Nancy Cole spoke to a family who believe a health trust has not learned from failings 15 years ago.

The family of a man who had schizophrenia and killed his grandfather, have hit out at the health trust responsible for his care for failing to learn lessons from the case.

Nottinghamshire Healthcare Trust was responsible for both William Barnard, who killed his grandfather in 2009, and also Valdo Calocane, who stabbed to death three people and seriously injured three others in Nottingham in 2023.

Barnard's family say they're upset and frustrated that things have not changed in the intervening years.

John McGrath died after being repeatedly stabbed by his grandson William Barnard. His wife was also injured in the attack in Stapleford in Nottinghamshire.

Barnard was in the care of the Trust because of his deteriorating mental health. A review of the case in 2012 found he'd been failed by the authorities and they promised lessons would be learnt.

That comment was made once again by the Trust yesterday following a damning CQC report into the care of Calocane, which showed that evidence “indicated beyond any real doubt” that Calocane would relapse “into distressing symptoms and potentially aggressive behaviour” yet he was discharged back into the care of a GP.Kath Barnard, Barnard's mother said "We've been here before and I know they said they've put changes in place but this was also said to us 15 years ago and so I don't believe that that's the case at all.

"Will was let down by them, ultimately this ruined his life but also has impacted on all our lives. He knows what he did and he has to live with that guilt."

The cases of Calocane and Barnard are similar. Both failed to engage with their health workers and were not taking their medication. They were known to police because of violence to others, and both had families who begged officials to help them and who weren't listened to.

After many years of treatment, Barnard has now been released which his family say is proof that had he been cared for correctly, the attack on his grandparents could have been prevented.

Nottinghamshire Healthcare did not wish to speak to us regarding the family's criticism that lessons had not been learnt and did no twish to comment on William Barnard's case and the similarities with Valdo Calocane. They pointed us to the statement issued following the Calocane Review in which they said they had significantly improved process and standards, the Trust had a clear plan to address the issues highlighted, and were doing everything in their power to understand where they missed opportunities and learn from them.

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