Our specialist teams support women and families affected by failings in breast cancer care.

Serious and long-standing failings have been identified within breast services at County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust.

Hundreds of patients have already been found to have suffered harm, with concerns including delayed cancer diagnoses and unnecessary surgery. The Trust has now agreed to extend its review of breast cancer care, potentially examining thousands more cases dating back as far as 2015.

The Prime Minister has also pledged that there will be the “fullest possible inquiry” into what happened and that those affected should get the answers they need.

If you received breast cancer care from County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust and are concerned about the treatment you received, our specialist personal injury solicitors can help you understand your legal rights.

Speak to our team today for a free, confidential discussion. Call us on 01642 072 018 or email middlesbrough@isonharrison.co.uk. 

County Durham and Darlington breast cancer care investigation

County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust has acknowledged serious failings in its breast services and apologised to women and families who have been harmed.

The Trust began reviewing breast cancer care provided between January 2023 and February 2025. Following concerns identified through that work and the experiences of affected patients, the Trust Board has agreed that the review should extend into earlier years.

The review is expected to work backwards through patient cases, beginning with 2022 and potentially extending as far back as 2015.

This could mean thousands more women having their breast cancer care examined.

What breast cancer care failings have been identified?

Concerns identified through reviews of breast services have included patients suffering harm as a result of their care.

Reported issues have included:

  • Delays in diagnosing breast cancer despite presenting symptoms
    • Misinterpretation of mammograms or scan results
    • Failures to refer patients for further investigations
    • Delayed treatment following diagnosis
    • Pathology or laboratory errors
    • Communication failures between healthcare providers

For some women, the consequences may have been life-changing. Concerns have also been raised about the standard of clinical care provided, with allegations relating to unnecessary mastectomies and inadequate surgical treatment forming part of the wider scandal and attracting considerable public attention.

The Trust has acknowledged that there were occasions when it should have listened more carefully, asked more questions and acted sooner.

If you received breast care from County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust and believe something may have gone wrong, we can listen to what happened and advise you about your options.

Were you affected by breast cancer care at County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust?

You may wish to speak to our solicitors if you or a loved one:

  • Experienced a delay in receiving a breast cancer diagnosis
  • Were initially told that you did not have cancer but were subsequently diagnosed
  • Underwent a mastectomy or other breast surgery and have since been told it may not have been necessary
  • Believe you underwent more extensive surgery than was required
  • Experienced problems or delays with breast reconstruction
  • Have been contacted by the Trust about a review of your breast cancer care
  • Have been told that a review identified concerns or harm relating to your treatment
  • Received breast care from the Trust from 2015 onwards and are now concerned about whether your treatment was appropriate
  • Lost a loved one and have concerns about whether failures in their breast cancer diagnosis or treatment contributed to their death

You may wish to contribute to any review, inquiry or investigation to ensure that your experiences are heard, taken into account and used to help improve patient safety and care in the future. Some individuals may also wish to explore whether they have grounds for a clinical negligence claim. Our specialist teams can provide advice and support in relation to both processes.

Our team can consider the individual circumstances of your care and explain what options may be available.

Contact us today for a free, confidential initial discussion. Call our team on 01642 072 018 or email middlesbrough@isonharrison.co.uk. 

How can Ison Harrison help?

Finding out that treatment you trusted may have been inappropriate can be extremely distressing.

For some women and families, the questions may extend far beyond financial compensation. You may want to understand what happened, why decisions about your care were made and whether opportunities to diagnose or treat your cancer differently were missed.

Our specialist personal injury solicitors can:

  • Listen to your experience and discuss your concerns
  • Help establish what happened during your treatment
  • Obtain and review relevant medical records
  • Arrange independent expert medical evidence where appropriate
  • Advise whether you may have a claim
  • Help you understand developments concerning the wider investigation and inquiry
  • Pursue compensation where negligence has caused injury, loss or additional treatment
  • Support bereaved families where there are concerns about the care received by a loved one

Do I have to wait for the Trust’s review or inquiry?

No.

The Trust’s clinical review and any wider inquiry into the breast service are separate from an individual personal injury claim.

If you are concerned about the treatment you received, you can seek independent legal advice now.

There are also legal time limits that can apply to personal injury claims, so it may be important to obtain advice even while reviews or investigations are continuing.

What if I haven’t been contacted by the Trust?

You can still speak to us.

The Trust has said that it will contact patients directly as its look-back progresses. However, the fact that you have not received a letter or telephone call does not prevent you from seeking independent legal advice about your care.

This may be particularly important if you already have concerns about a delayed diagnosis, unnecessary surgery or another aspect of your breast cancer treatment.

What if the Trust has already contacted me?

If the Trust has contacted you to say your treatment is being reviewed, or has informed you that problems have been identified with your care, you can speak to us about what that information may mean from a legal perspective.

If you have received a letter or report from the Trust, our team can discuss it with you as part of an initial confidential conversation.

Speak to our specialist personal injury solicitors

If you or a loved one received breast cancer care from County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust and you are concerned about what happened, contact Ison Harrison today.

Our specialist personal injury solicitors can listen to your experience, answer your questions and advise you about your legal options.

Contact us today for a free, confidential initial discussion. Call our team on 01642 072 018  or email middlesbrough@isonharrison.co.uk.