Police investigating breast cancer failings in County Durham and Darlington
Durham Constabulary says the investigation remains in its early stages
Durham Constabulary say they're in the early stages of an investigation into allegations around breast cancer treatment at a hospital trust.
They're determining if any criminal offences have occurred after a report last year found poor standards of care, missed cancers and unnecessary surgeries at University Hospital of North Durham and Darlington Memorial Hospital.
A spokesman for Durham Constabulary said: “Durham Constabulary received an allegation relating to breast cancer services at the County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust. Following consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service, officers are investigating that allegation to establish the facts and review material to determine if any criminal offences have occurred.
“We would stress that the investigation remains in its early stages and detectives from the Major Crime Team are liaising with the Trust, which is supporting the inquiry.
“Concerns about clinical care in relation to breast care services should be directed to the trust’s dedicated call line on 0191 333 2126.
“However, a portal has been opened at https://mipp.police.uk where anyone who believes they have been a victim of crime as a result of surgery through Breast Cancer Services during 2024 can report to the police. Members of the public can log their details and they will then be contacted by specialist officers from the inquiry team”.
Lawyers acting on behalf of some breast cancer patients say they fear a patient ‘look back’ review has so far ‘only scratched the surface’ of the harm caused to patients.
A spokesperson for County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust, who are fully supporting the police, said: "Our review of breast services identified that we had let some patients down and we understand the distress and uncertainty this has caused.
"We want to support those patients and their families in the best way possible."
"In response to the breast services review, we have made significant improvements, including bringing our processes in line with national best practice, appointing new surgeons and introducing new clinics and ways of working to strengthen care for patients."
A decade of 'systemic failures'
Trust board papers recently confirmed that 1,472 breast surgery cases from between January 2023 and February 2025 are to be reviewed, following a decade of ‘systemic failures’.
From the initial 315 reviews completed, 51 incidents of ‘severe or moderate’ harm were identified – around one in every six.
It comes after an Independent External Review of Governance last year identified how a decade of ‘profoundly systemic’ failures had seen the Trust fail to act on ‘repeated warnings and evidence,’ which allowed unsafe and outdated practices to persist.’
That followed a Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) review of breast surgery services which highlighted issues such as delayed diagnosis, excessive or unnecessary surgery and failure to consider and discuss suitable treatment options, including breast salvage and reconstruction.
Trust board papers have now revealed that ‘ in response to concerns’, a separate Royal College of Radiologists review has also been conducted, identifying 23 required actions.
Solicitor Hayley Collinson, of Hudgell Solicitors, represents a number of affected patients and is holding free legal clinics next week for people concerned about their treatment.
She said: "This is really becoming a hugely worrying situation. The ever-increasing picture of harm and spiralling levels of investigation is alarming.
"I think we’ve only scratched the surface of how deep this scandal may go, and certainly, at present, we don’t have anything close to an understanding of just how many patients have suffered potentially life-changing harm.
"Given what we have learned following similar recent patient safety scandals at Addenbrooke’s Hospital and Great Ormond Street Hospital, where we have supported many patients and families, I think we could easily be looking at hundreds of cases of harm here.
"The number of cases being reviewed is much greater than at other hospitals, and given that from the first 315 breast surgery cases assessed there were 51 cases of severe or moderate harm found, that’s a current rate of around one in every six."
'Slow progress' on patient reviews
Hayley Collinson says she is concerned with the speed of patient reviews, which the Trust has admitted is making ‘slow progress,’ due to the limited number of expert reviewers available.
It is seeking to establish the number cases of cancer missed, delayed diagnoses, incidents of chemotherapy and breast reconstruction not being offered, and surgery being undertaken when not clinically necessary, amongst other patient care failings.
Once the review of patients dating back to 2023 is complete, the Trust says it will then assess if further patient groups need to be reviewed also, having conducted just a handful of reviews dating back as far as 2019 so far.
She added: "We’re in a situation where thousands of women are currently left not knowing if the treatment they received was the most appropriate for them, and whether they suffered harm as a result of the many failings which were allowed to continue unaddressed for many years.
"This patient look back could well be extended to go back much further. We are supporting women who have been affected by delayed diagnosis, had mastectomies and other procedures which it is now suspected they did not require, and patients who have not been offered reconstructions when they should have.
"Some have had their individual review findings back which have confirmed harm caused, and others are still waiting for information. Some of our clients have provided information to the police.
Hayley Collinson and her legal team at Hudgell Solicitors are holding free legal clinics for people worried about their treatment, and the ongoing review, on Wednesday March 18th, Thursday March 19th, and Monday, March 23rd.
She said: "Our message to people is don’t wait to hear from the Trust.
"Our legal team are highly-experienced in supporting patients affected by large-scale treatment reviews, and we can provide advice, and start independently investigating their case now, as well as then offering support when they are contacted to discuss the findings of the Trust’s review into their own individual cases."