Prime Minister Andy Burnham has backed the "fullest possible inquiry" into breast cancer failings in County Durham and Darlington, where hundreds of patients have been harmed. Speaking on the BBC's Politics North programme, he said: "Of course there needs to be the fullest possible inquiry into how this happened and I will ensure that that is what takes place."
The scandal has seen women receive delayed breast cancer diagnoses, botched or delayed reconstructions and even unnecessary surgery including mastectomy. This week, the County Durham and Darlington NHS Trust agreed plans to extend a review of the care women have received, with experts now set to examine cases dating back as far as 2015. Around 4,500 cases will be examined.
Prime Minister's stance on inquiry
Speaking ahead of the Labour Party conference, Mr Burnham declined to guarantee the inquiry would be in the form of a statutory public inquiry, citing other ways in which victims and their families could get "the answers they need".
A review of cases so far has found hundreds of patients have come to harm during treatment. Breast cancer cases between January 2023 and February 2025 have been reviewed, alongside those of 640 former patients who contacted a dedicated helpline.
Extent of harm revealed
Of 514 cases examined so far, 315 patients have been found to have suffered harm, including 77 who suffered significant harm. One patient is known to have died. The issues were revealed when the first in a series of damning reports were made public.
Hospital bosses have repeatedly apologised and accepted that "very serious failings" occurred. However, those affected, including members of the Pink Justice group founded by Nadeen Lister and Amelia Green, both breast cancer patients themselves, are unconvinced by the level of investigation so far.
Patients call for public inquiry
Earlier this week, Nadeen told ChronicleLive how she felt a public inquiry was the only way to get the "clarity" she said she had heard talk of throughout the meeting. She added: "I want them [the board] to listen. I want them to read the papers and to hear our voices - we weren't able to speak in that meeting, we just had to listen. We hear them say they're listening to staff, they need to listen to patients and they need to follow up with action."
Explaining the decision to expand the look-back exercise this week, the County Durham and Darlington NHS Trust's chief executive Steve Russell said: "We have heard again [...] about the profound and lasting impact that failings in our breast services have had on women and their families. We remain deeply sorry for the harm and distress caused, and for the times when, as a Trust, we should have listened more carefully, asked more questions and acted sooner." Mr Russell only took up the role in September 2025.
