CDDFT failings could involve 'hundreds, if not thousands, of women'

The County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust ( CDDFT) say they "recognise the courage of the women coming forward," and have said they are "deeply sorry for the failings in our breast services".

Earlier this week, an independent report into the breast surgery service at CDDFT was published, laying bare a decade of missed warnings, ignored red flags, and 'systemic failures'.

The review, commissioned by the trust and carried out by governance expert Mary Aubrey, concludes that “the governance arrangements within the breast surgery service were inadequate, inconsistent, and failed to ensure patient safety.”

This was compounded by "missed cancer diagnoses and unnecessary surgeries", delivered from the University Hospital of North Durham and Darlington Memorial Hospital.

Following the publication of the report, City of Durham MP Mary Kelly Foy, a breast cancer survivor, and Darlington MP, Lola McEvoy, hit out at the trust, saying it had 'catastrophically failed' patients.

A County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust sign (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Now, Chloe Gibson, a solicitor from Slater and Gordon, who is representing numerous women who have been impacted by the Durham and Darlington Breast Cancer Service, has warned that the failings of the NHS Trust could involve "hundreds, if not thousands, of women."

"This is without doubt a hugely concerning issue for this region, and particularly for those women who have depended on this service for their care,” she added.

“Women who are coming to us have suffered greatly as a result of the care they received.

"At a time when these women were already trying to cope with the trauma of a cancer diagnosis, to then suffer the levels of care they have received is truly horrific and absolutely unacceptable."

The University Hospital of North Durham (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)

As part of Slater and Gordon's work, some of the devastated women they are representing have shared their life-changing experiences of poor standards of care at the Durham and Darlington Breast Cancer Service, including stories of failures to diagnose cancer, unnecessary mastectomies, failures to offer breast reconstruction, and "life-altering" scarring.

This includes Catriona McEvoy, 40, from Stanley, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in June 2023 and underwent a procedure to remove the tumour at the University Hospital of North Durham.

Catriona McEvoy (Image: UGC)

Although currently cancer-free, she says her experience led to her seeking a second professional opinion, which has now left her questioning whether she could have had alternative, more suitable treatments.

In response to the experiences shared and concerns raised, a spokesperson from County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust has said: “We recognise the courage of the women coming forward to share their experiences, and the impact these events have had on them and their families."

The trust said that it apologised publicly at its open board meeting, held on Wednesday (November 26), but has again reiterated that it is "deeply sorry for the failings in our breast services."

The spokesperson added: "No one should ever feel dismissed, unsupported, or unsafe when seeking care, and we apologise unreservedly for the pain these experiences have caused.

"We are committed to meeting with patients, listening to their experiences, and ensuring they receive the support they need.

"We are already in contact with many of those affected and will continue to do everything we can to support them. Support is available for anyone affected who is not yet speaking with us.

"We remain focused on rebuilding trust, learning from these experiences, and delivering the improvements our patients and communities deserve.”