Durham NHS trust widens breast cancer review to 4,500 cases

An NHS trust has agreed to examine up to 4,500 more breast cancer cases after patients experienced delayed diagnoses, unnecessary operations and other failures in their care.

County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust will extend its review back to 2015. The decision follows an examination of cases from January 2023 to February 2025, which found that 315 of 514 patients reviewed had suffered harm, including 77 who experienced significant harm.

Twenty women were found to have undergone unnecessary mastectomies, while other patients experienced missed or delayed cancer diagnoses. At least one patient is known to have died.

The wider investigation is expected to take place in stages, with the trust assessing whether it should continue into earlier years as each phase is completed. Reviewing every case could take around five years at the current rate of approximately 80 cases a month.

Trust chief executive Steve Russell has apologised to the women and families affected, acknowledging that there were opportunities for the organisation to listen and act sooner. He said significant changes had since been made to improve breast services.

Durham Police and the National Crime Agency are also examining allegations made by former patients to determine whether any criminal offences may have occurred. The trust said it would continue identifying people who may have been harmed and ensure they received appropriate information and support.

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