Hospital leaders in County Durham have agreed to review a further 4,500 breast cancer cases after significant failings were uncovered, including delayed diagnoses and unnecessary surgeries.
An initial review of cases at County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust—covering January 2023 to February 2025—found that hundreds of patients had suffered harm, with 321 affected and one confirmed death. The issues identified included treatment not aligned with best practice, excessive surgical intervention and delays in diagnosis.
The BBC has spoken to several women impacted by the failings, including one patient who described feeling “mutilated” and said the mistakes were “absolutely unforgivable”.
At an extraordinary board meeting held in Durham, trust leaders issued “sincere” apologies to patients and families. Chair Alison Marshall said:
“I would like to offer a sincere apology to all the women and their families who have been affected by the failings in our breast services. I can’t imagine the impact that has had.”
She added that while the trust “cannot turn back the clock”, it would be “open, honest and transparent” as the review expands to include cases dating back to 2015.
Chief Nurse Gill Hunt told the board that concerns were first raised in 2015 following a service reconfiguration and the loss of breast surgical trainee posts. Over subsequent years, patients and external bodies—including the Northern Cancer Alliance, the Care Quality Commission and NHS England—highlighted multiple issues within the service.
The trust has now committed to a comprehensive review of all breast cancer cases over the past decade to fully understand the scale of the failings and ensure lessons are learned.
For more information, contact Marketing Director Nick Balchin.