The County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust has approved plans to expand its review of breast cancer care to include around 4,500 cases dating back to 2015. The decision was made at an extraordinary board meeting, where the trust also confirmed that a phased approach would be taken to the expanded review.
So far, reviews have covered breast cancer cases between January 2023 and February 2025, alongside those of 640 former patients who contacted a dedicated helpline. Of 514 cases examined to date, 315 patients have been found to have suffered harm, including 77 who suffered significant harm. One patient is known to have died.
Failings revealed last year
Serious issues with breast cancer treatment at the trust were first made public last year when a series of reports were released. Hospital bosses have issued public apologies, with "very serious failings" identified during 2025 dating back more than a decade. These include missed diagnoses and unnecessary surgery, with hundreds of women thought to have been affected.
The trust, which runs NHS services including University Hospital of North Durham and Darlington Memorial Hospital, has said the look-back will continue one year at a time, with each stage reviewed before deciding what happens next.
Patients call for public inquiry
Some women affected by the failings say the expanded review does not go far enough. Nadeen Lister, co-founder of the Pink Justice group, said a full public inquiry is the only answer. She said she was "upset" by the scale of the review, adding: "I wasn't aware of that. I got quite emotional when I heard that. I thought 'Oh my God, how many more?'"
Jacqueline Holmes, who has had two daughters experience breast cancer, including Michaela who died aged 35 in 2009, said: "It would be better if the Government said they would hold a public inquiry. It would be better for the trust as well." Hayley Collinson, of Hudgell Solicitors, who represents some of the patients, said: "That is not our patients' concern, the trust needs to put the resources behind this."
Trust response
Chief executive Steve Russell said: "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." He added that the decision means the trust will "look further back, one year at a time", and that support will remain available throughout.
During the meeting, concerns were raised about the length of the process. Non-executive director Phil Kane questioned whether experts reviewing cases in 2029 or 2030 would have the necessary experience to judge care from 2015. Trust medical director Dr Eliot Sykes said there would have to be a "tailored approach" and that work was ongoing to increase capacity and hire more expert reviewers.
Anyone worried about their care can contact the dedicated helpline on 0191 333 2126 or via email at cddft.breastservices@nhs.net.
