Nottinghamshire NHS trust used charity funds for leaving party

An under-fire NHS trust has apologised after using money from charitable funds to throw a leaving party for its former chairman.

Cash from Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust’s charitable operations was applied for and used to help organise the event in December for former chairman Paul Devlin, who left the trust earlier this month.

The mental health trust was involved in the care of Valdo Calocane, a paranoid schizophrenic who killed Barnaby Webber, Grace O’Malley-Kumar and Ian Coates in the Nottingham attacks in June 2023.

In correspondence to staff seen by the BBC, chief executive Ifti Majid apologised and said: “I accept this was not a good use of charitable funds.”

In a statement to the BBC, Majid apologised again and said using the money was a “mistake”, and the sum had been given back to the charity.

Devlin, who took up the role in 2020, served two three-year terms as chairman and handed over the reins to Tom Cahill earlier this month.

It is understood the trust used £249.50 from the charity, which is currently fundraising for therapies for the mother and baby unit and peer support work for people living with dementia.

The news comes following a recent Care Quality Commission report, which said the trust’s leadership “requires improvement”.

Inspectors also found a “challenged” financial picture at the trust, with a forecast deficit of £46.8m at the end of the 2025-26 financial year.

This came after a damning 2024 report, which the Nottingham attacks victims’ families said demonstrated “gross, systemic failures in the mental health trust”.

In January 2024, it was reported more than 30 members of staff across the trust had been suspended.

Majid had intended to retire from the trust on his 60th birthday in October, but the trust previously said he would stay in post for the Nottingham attacks public inquiry hearings before leaving in June.

“We did apply to charitable funds to pay for an open staff and partner leaving event, which many clinical and non-clinical colleagues from across the organisation, as well as local healthcare partners, were invited to,” he said in a post to staff.

“In hindsight, I’ve listened to everything you said, and clarified the rules around this, and I accept this was not a good use of charitable funds.

“The executive team is personally reimbursing the full amount on behalf of all those who attended.

“I am grateful for colleagues speaking up about this, can absolutely understand your frustrations and would like to offer my apologies.”