20 women unnecessarily had breasts removed and others suffered serious harm

Between January 2023 and February 2025, a review of cases at the County Durham and Darlington Foundation Trust (CDDFT) has found 20 women who had unnecessary mastectomies, while others experienced "excessive surgery" and were harmed. Of the 539 cases reviewed as of September 2, 59 resulted in moderate harm, 19 in severe harm, and one patient tragically lost their life.

A total of 242 cases resulted in minor harm. Information from the trust board reveals that 38 cases involved treatment not aligned with best practices, including not providing immediate breast reconstruction, unnecessary benign surgery, and outdated practices that caused harm. Twenty cases involved delayed diagnosis, which can result in disease spreading.

A board meeting of the trust will decide whether to extend the review to cover thousands more cases dating back to 2015. Denise Howarth, a mother of two, was diagnosed with stage one cancer in her left breast in February 2023 and underwent a mastectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation treatment. She was later informed that the mastectomy was unnecessary.

Ms. Howarth expressed shock and distress at being misled, stating that the news came as a "bolt out of the blue" after she had lost two close relatives and her father was ill. She emphasized the life-changing impact of the experience and her loss of confidence. The trust's chief executive, Steve Russell, expressed deep sorrow for the women and families harmed by the trust's failures and acknowledged the profound impact on their lives.

The trust has implemented significant changes to its breast service and is continuing to review past care to identify patients who may have experienced harm.