Switalskis' specialist medical negligence solicitors have expressed renewed concern following findings that 20 women underwent unnecessary mastectomies at County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust. The firm is already supporting a woman affected by failings in the Trust's breast cancer services and has been contacted by other patients worried about their care.

A BBC investigation published on 18 September 2026 has revealed that 20 women had their breasts removed unnecessarily while receiving breast cancer treatment at County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust.

The findings follow earlier issues identified within the Trust's breast services, which Switalskis has previously reported on while supporting a client who was not offered alternative treatment options before undergoing a mastectomy.

Of the 514 cases reviewed by the Trust so far, 315 patients have been found to have suffered harm, including 77 who experienced significant harm. One patient is known to have died.

The Trust has also identified cases involving missed or delayed cancer diagnoses, with some patients subsequently experiencing the spread of their cancer.

Steve Russell, the Trust's chief executive, has apologised unreservedly to those affected.

What has the investigation found?

The Trust is currently reviewing breast cancer cases from January 2023 to February 2025, alongside cases involving 640 former patients who contacted a dedicated helpline.

A decision is expected on whether the review should be extended to include cases dating back to 2015. This could involve reopening up to 10,000 medical records.

The investigation has highlighted several concerns about the care patients received, including:

• Unnecessary mastectomies, where less invasive surgery may have been an appropriate treatment option.
• Missed or delayed cancer diagnoses, including cases where cancer subsequently spread.
• Concerns about how treatment decisions were made and reviewed.
• Failures in the oversight and governance of breast cancer services.

The National Crime Agency is also working with Durham Police to investigate allegations made by former patients and determine whether any criminal offences have occurred.

The Trust says it is cooperating fully with the investigation.

Switalskis supporting woman affected by breast cancer care failings

Switalskis has previously reported on concerns about breast cancer care at the Trust after being contacted by women worried about the treatment they received.

Our specialist clinical negligence team is supporting a woman who underwent a mastectomy of her left breast at Darlington Memorial Hospital in early 2019, following a diagnosis of grade 2 breast cancer.

She was not offered an alternative to a mastectomy before the procedure, and the possibility of reconstruction surgery was not discussed with her at the time.

It was not until several years later that she underwent reconstruction surgery, having experienced significant distress as a result of the delay.

After becoming aware of wider concerns about the Trust's breast services, she contacted the Trust to raise questions about her care.

An external expert, independent of the Trust, subsequently reviewed her case and identified aspects of her treatment that could have been improved.

This included a finding that alternatives to a full mastectomy should have been discussed with her and that she should have been offered alternative options.

The findings have left her deeply upset and questioning why this information was not shared with her before surgery.

Our team continues to support her as she looks for a clearer understanding of the care she received.

The latest investigation has confirmed that other women were also affected, underlining the need for transparency around how treatment decisions were made and whether patients were properly informed about their options.

'Women affected deserve answers about what happened'

Clare Thompson , a Director and specialist medical negligence solicitor at Switalskis, who has handled a large number of breast cancer cases, said:

"These latest findings are deeply concerning, particularly for the women who have now been told that surgery they underwent may not have been necessary.

"We are already supporting a client who was not offered alternative treatment options before undergoing a mastectomy. She has experienced significant distress as a result of the care she received and is seeking answers about why those options were not discussed with her.

"A mastectomy is a life-changing procedure. Patients place an enormous amount of trust in the healthcare professionals responsible for their care, and they should be confident that treatment decisions have been carefully considered and that appropriate alternatives have been explained to them.

"For those affected, learning that a different treatment may have been possible can be incredibly difficult. They deserve clear explanations about what happened, why decisions were made and whether anything could have been done differently.

"It is important that the ongoing investigations establish how these failures occurred and what changes are needed to prevent other patients from experiencing similar harm."

Patients and families call for a public inquiry

Women affected by the failures have come together to share their experiences and support one another.

Some have described the lasting physical and psychological impact of their treatment, while others have spoken about the distress of discovering that their surgery could have been avoided.

The group is now calling for a public inquiry into the failures at the Trust.

The findings have also raised concerns about the governance of breast cancer services, including the management of potential conflicts of interest involving outsourced private clinics.

The Trust has acknowledged that a conflict of interest was not properly managed and confirmed that the outsourcing arrangement has ended.

For patients and their families, the ongoing investigations will be important in establishing what went wrong, whether opportunities to prevent harm were missed and how breast cancer services can be made safer.

How Switalskis can support patients affected by breast cancer treatment failures

If you are worried about breast cancer treatment you or a loved one received, it is understandable to want clear answers about what happened and whether different options should have been discussed.

At Switalskis, our specialist clinical negligence solicitors can talk through your concerns in confidence and help you understand what steps may be available.

We can support patients and families affected by unnecessary surgery, delayed cancer diagnoses and other failings in breast cancer care.

Our team can obtain and review medical records, investigate the circumstances surrounding treatment decisions and work with independent medical experts where needed.

Where negligence has caused avoidable harm, we can help you pursue compensation and seek the answers you deserve.

If you or a loved one received breast cancer treatment at County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust and have concerns about the care provided, you do not have to face those questions alone. Our team is here to listen, explain your options and support you with sensitivity and care.