Mental health groups have ‘failed to acknowledge’ risk of violence, says Mind chief
Source: Guardian Health ↗
Mental health charity Mind’s chief executive, Dr Sarah Hughes, warned that the sector has “failed to acknowledge” the risk of violence posed by a minority of people with severe mental illnesses, a criticism voiced as the public inquiry into the Nottingham attacks draws to a close. The inquiry investigates the 13 June 2023 murders of two 19‑year‑old students, Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley‑Kumar, and 65‑year‑old caretaker Ian Coates, all stabbed to death by Valdo Calocane, who was later diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. In 2024 Calocane received an indefinite hospital order after pleading guilty to three counts of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility and three counts of attempted murder. Evidence presented to the inquiry highlighted a pattern of violent behaviour, repeated refusals to take medication, and four sections in two years, prompting Calocane’s mother to describe the mental‑health system as “so broken”.
Hughes’ comments stem from a recent Mind round‑table with Westminster experts, where she argued that charities have avoided discussing violence because of fears that it would fuel stigma and discrimination. She said the sector has “softened the truth,” allowing the narrative that most people with mental health conditions do not commit violent crime to dominate, while neglecting the grave consequences when they do. The discussion was echoed by Emma Webber, whose son Barnaby was among the victims, who said the danger to others has been “almost deliberately quietened down” and that acknowledging such risks could have prevented the tragedy. Experts cited in the inquiry noted that people with schizophrenia have a higher relative risk of violence than the general population, though the absolute risk remains low and rises further when combined with substance abuse, prior violence or victimisation; effective treatments can mitigate this risk.
The implications of Hughes’ call for an open dialogue are significant for policy and practice. She cautioned that over‑protecting against stigma could paradoxically push the sector toward more restrictive, punitive approaches, which she deems “not the answer.” By confronting the uncomfortable link between severe mental illness and rare violent acts, Hughes believes the sector can better protect both the public and patients, and that public readiness for such conversations is growing. The inquiry’s final report, expected soon, will likely examine how earlier recognition of Calocane’s risk factors might have altered the outcome, shaping future mental‑health service strategies and informing broader debates on safety, stigma and the responsibilities of charities.
⚡ Effects Interpreter
🌍World Economymedium impact
What this means for you
- ▶Economies far from the headline can still catch the aftershocks.
- ▶World markets have a habit of reading between the lines of stories like this.
🏙️Local Economylow impact
What this means for you
- ▶The pinch, if any, tends to show up first at the till.
- ▶Everyday essentials may nudge in price as suppliers adjust.
🏦Rates & Banksmedium impact
What this means for you
- ▶Banks generally prefer a wait-and-see approach before touching their rates.
- ▶Borrowing plans are usually safe from sudden shocks over something like this.
❤️Healthlow impact
What this means for you
- ▶A short chat with a pharmacist can clear up plenty of uncertainty.
- ▶Families touched by this could find comfort in checking the facts.
💷Wealthmedium impact
What this means for you
- ▶Care costs can ripple into family finances further down the road.
- ▶Checking what your health insurance actually covers is rarely wasted effort.
🏠Housinglow impact
What this means for you
- ▶First-time buyers might keep half an eye on mortgage rates after this.
- ▶Asking prices in the area could firm up or soften only gradually.
🌍 Effects for your country
The U.S.'s central bank rate currently stands at 3.75%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. The U.S.'s economy is growing at 2.3% with inflation at 3.2%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track the U.S.'s own central bank rate closely. With the U.S.'s unemployment at 4.4%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is currently fairly stable. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in the U.S. depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
The UK's central bank rate currently stands at 3.75%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. The UK's economy is growing at 0.8% with inflation at 3.2%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track the UK's own central bank rate closely. With the UK's unemployment at 5.6%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is currently fairly stable. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in the UK depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
France's central bank rate currently stands at 2%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. France's economy is growing at 0.9% with inflation at 1.8%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track France's own central bank rate closely. With France's unemployment at 7.9%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is already under strain. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in France depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
Romania's central bank rate currently stands at 6.5%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. Romania's economy is growing at 0.7% with inflation at 7.8%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track Romania's own central bank rate closely. With Romania's unemployment at 6%, personal-finance effects like this land on a labour market that is currently fairly stable. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in Romania depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.
The UAE's central bank rate currently stands at 3.65%, so a global rates move like this could feed through to local borrowing costs. The UAE's economy is growing at 3.1% with inflation at 2.5%, the backdrop this story's effects play out against locally. Housing-market effects like this are usually felt most where mortgage rates track the UAE's own central bank rate closely. Health-system effects are harder to localise from economic indicators alone — the real impact in the UAE depends more on local healthcare capacity than the figures above.