// BBC UK NEWS — CRONACA
Southport and Nottingham attack victims demand end to data breaches
Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe and Alice da Silva Aguiar died in the Southport knife attacks on 29 July 2024
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.
More than 30 people have signed the letter, including those affected by the maternity scandals.
Health Secretary, Yvette Cooper, has described the NHS data breaches as a "disgrace" and in cases where it has happened she said she expected action to be taken. The BBC has also contacted NHS England for comment.
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.
Barnaby Webber, Grace O'Malley-Kumar and Ian Coates were stabbed to death by Valdo Calocane
NHS workers also snooped on the records of victims of the Southport attack, when Axel Rudakubana killed Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and nine-year-old Alice Da Silva Aguiar during a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in 2024.