DURHAM, September 28 — County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust has agreed to review additional breast cancer cases following an investigation that identified issues including delayed diagnoses and unnecessary surgeries. The expanded review will cover cases dating back to 2015, building on an initial review that began in April 2025 and examined cases from January 2023 to February 2025. The board made this decision at an extraordinary meeting in Durham, where board chair Alison Marshall offered a sincere apology to affected women and families.
“I could not imagine the impact of the failings,” Marshall stated during the meeting. Chief nurse Gill Hunt explained that concerns were first raised in 2015 after a service reconfiguration and loss of breast surgical trainee posts.
Issues continued to be flagged by patients, the Northern Cancer Alliance, the Care Quality Commission, and NHS England. Key themes identified include treatment not aligned with best practice, excessive surgery, and delayed diagnosis. Hunt emphasized that the expanded review would follow a proportionate, evidence-led clinical approach guided by clear clinical rationale and formal governance.
Current Treatment Standards
Chief executive Steve Russell noted that the trust is now exceeding national standards for breast cancer treatment, including breast conservation rates and immediate reconstruction offers. He acknowledged, however, that this does not undo past harm. A dedicated helpline remains available for patients to request case reviews, with several hundred patients having already contacted it.
Russell encouraged anyone with concerns to reach out irrespective of when they were treated.
Patient Experiences
Denise Howarth, a 51-year-old from Consett who underwent an unnecessary mastectomy, attended the board meeting. She expressed satisfaction that the review was extended but stressed the need to contact past patients with dignity and compassion to reduce shock and pain. Howarth also called for a public inquiry and suggested the review should go back further than 2015, as her case dates to 2012.
Rachel Gray, 41, from Sunderland, shared her experience of contacting the helpline after learning of others’ harm, which led to the discovery that she could have avoided a mastectomy at age 37. She described the realization as making her want to “crawl out of my skin” and believes the expanded review will uncover more harm than currently predicted.
Support Measures
The trust has committed to supporting affected women, including offering breast reconstruction surgery to those who underwent unnecessary mastectomies. Officials maintain that current patients can be confident in receiving appropriate treatment and good clinical outcomes. Consult your doctor for medical advice.
