MENTAL health chiefs yesterday admitted failures in the care of a former soldier from the North East who massacred four members of his family.
David Bradley shot dead his aunt, uncle and two cousins in Newcastle in 2006.
But NHS experts found the sequence of events could have been different if the shortcomings in the care provided to him had not been present.
And that “in turn may have led to a different outcome”, the chairman of the independent panel that compiled the report said.
However, he added that “the final, catastrophic outcome” could not have been predicted.
The Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust yesterday apologised for the shortcomings in the care it had provided.
Bradley shot and killed Peter and Josie Purcell, both 70, and cousins Keith Purcell, 44, and Glen Purcell, 41, in a four-hour shooting spree at the home he shared with them, in Benwell Grove, Benwell, Newcastle.
The killer, now 46, then turned himself in at the city’s West End police station, still holding the weapon in his hands.
Bradley first had contact with the mental health services almost 10 years before he became a killer.
The report found the care he had received prior to his rampage had not been in line with national guidelines.
The review panel concluded risk issues had been identified but never dealt with in any systematic way.
It also felt there had been a lack of adequate record-keeping and communication in relation to Bradley.
The report also says that Bradley’s care had not been in line with the multi-disciplinary care programme approach.
Professor Aidan Mullan, director of nursing, patient safety and provider development at Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust said: “First and foremost, our deepest sympathies go to the extended family of Mr Bradley.
“This appalling incident has undoubtedly been particularly harrowing for them and there are absolutely no excuses for the shortcomings in the care that was provided to David.
“We commissioned this independent investigation to get a clear picture of David’s interaction with health services, to understand where things can be improved and most crucially, to ensure that lessons can be learned and shared throughout the NHS to prevent similar incidents from occurring.
“It is important to note there have been vast improvements in mental health care since 2006.
“Our priority is always to ensure the highest possible quality of care for the thousands of people who access local services every year and we take the findings of this report most seriously.”
