Twenty women have been told they underwent unnecessary mastectomies while being treated for breast cancer at the breast unit of County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust (CDDFT).
The admission follows months of mounting concern about the standard of care provided by the trust’s breast cancer service, which has been under investigation since early 2025.
Of 514 cases reviewed so far, 315 patients have been found to have suffered harm — including 77 who were significantly harmed. One patient has died. Cases have also been identified where cancer diagnoses were missed or delayed, with some patients subsequently seeing their cancer spread.
The trust’s new chief executive, Steve Russell, has apologised “unreservedly” for the harm caused, describing what happened as “utterly unacceptable”.
The National Crime Agency is now working alongside Durham Police to investigate whether any criminal offences took place.
A decision is also expected imminently on whether to extend the scope of the review to cases dating back to 2015 — a move that could mean up to 10,000 medical records being reopened.
Tanzeela Aslam, Partner and Head of Clinical Negligence at Express Solicitors, said:
“I can’t believe this is happening again — yet another breast cancer scandal and more women requiring answers.
“What’s even more worrying is that we might not even have the full picture. This could be the tip of the iceberg, and another 10,000 medical records may need to be reopened going back to 2015.
“These cases are complex to navigate and we are well positioned to help, so if there are any women out there who are concerned they could have been affected, we would be happy to speak to them and help them through the process.”
For the women affected, many of whom have only recently been told their surgery could have been avoided, the impact has been profound. Some have described feeling “mutilated.” Others say they are still living with the physical and psychological consequences of procedures they were never told they could have avoided.
A support group has now formed, with affected women and their families calling for a full public inquiry into what went wrong.
If you or someone you know was treated at the breast unit of County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust and has concerns about the care received, our clinical negligence team is here to help. Get in touch for a free, confidential conversation.
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