County Durham NHS trust to review 4,500 breast cancer cases back to 2015
County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust will review up to 4,500 breast cancer patient records back to 2015 after hundreds were harmed, including 20 unnecessary mastectomies.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
An NHS trust in County Durham has agreed to review up to 4,500 breast cancer cases after admitting serious failings in its breast unit. County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust will reopen medical records dating back to 2015, and it has said it will examine more if necessary.
The trust has admitted that 20 women had unnecessary mastectomies while under its care. They are among hundreds of patients found to have been harmed. In the first phase of the review, 514 medical records were examined and 315 women were found to have been harmed, including one death. Some cases involved missed or delayed cancer diagnoses, allowing the disease to spread. One bulletin put the reviewed total at 539, with 59 moderate harms, 19 severe harms, one death and 242 minor harms, though the core finding was that hundreds of women suffered harm.
Women affected have described feeling mutilated, disfigured and betrayed. One patient, Denise, was told in 2023 she had grade 1 cancer. She had a lumpectomy and lymph nodes removed, then was called back and told she needed a mastectomy. Two and a half years later the trust told her the mastectomy had not been necessary. Another patient, Rachel, was 37 when she had a mastectomy and was later told she could have had breast conservation surgery. A support network for women unhappy with their care has grown to about 160 people. They are calling for a public inquiry, have started a petition and are contacting local MPs.
Investigations have focused on the outsourcing of breast cancer appointments. The trust paid nearly £6 million over six years to private diagnostic clinics and surgery companies run by Amir Bhatti, its clinical lead for breast services from 2013 to 2024. The trust says such arrangements are not unusual in healthcare, but it has terminated them and accepted that a conflict of interest was not managed properly. Mr Bhatti's clinical practice has been restricted. He remains employed by the trust, is not currently at work and is still receiving full pay. He has said he remains committed to the trust investigation and that it would be inappropriate to discuss the matter while proceedings are ongoing.
Durham Police are working with the National Crime Agency to examine whether criminal offences were committed. A public portal has been opened for people with concerns. The trust's chief executive, Steve Russell, has apologised unreservedly and said there are no words to convey how distressed he and colleagues are. He said the trust should have listened more carefully and acted sooner, and that significant changes have been made to breast services. He believes the service is now safe. The government said its thoughts are with the women and families affected and that the trust is working with NHS England and the Care Quality Commission.
The expanded review will cover records from 2015 onwards. Some women and campaigners want it to go back further, saying problems were raised as early as 2012 and possibly earlier. The trust has warned that more harm is likely to be uncovered. It has also said it does not have enough expert reviewers and has appealed for medical professionals to help examine the files. The decision to broaden the review follows years of warnings and complaints about the breast unit.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | Channel 5 | BBC News | BBC NEWS Verified Live | BBC One | Channel 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust admitted that 20 women had unnecessary mastectomies under its breast unit. | · | ||||
| A review of 500 cases at County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust found that 315 patients had suffered harm. | · | · | |||
| Police are investigating potential criminal offences. | · | · | · | ||
| The trust apologised and admitted that breast cancer patients came to harm, with reports citing varying figures including one death. | · | · | · | ||
| The trust will decide next week whether to extend its review of cases back to 2015. | · | · | · | ||
| Amir Batty remained employed by the trust on full pay but was not at work, and said he was committed to the ongoing trust investigation while declining to discuss it during proceedings. | · | · | · | · | |
| Nearly £6 million was paid to Amir Bhatti's private companies over six years. | · | · | · | · | |
| The review also found cases of missed or delayed cancer diagnoses that led to the disease spreading. | · | · | · | · | |
| The trust accepted that outsourcing breast cancer patient appointments created a conflict of interest, with patients seen in private diagnostic clinics and surgery companies paid per patient and per procedure. | · | · | · | · | |
| The trust restricted the clinical practice of a consultant | · | · | · | · | |
| The trust's problems date back to at least 2012 and were ignored. | · | · | · | · |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
A short lunchtime headline slot. It sticks to the trust's admission and the early harm figures, then moves to unrelated news. There is no patient testimony or scrutiny of outsourcing.
- “An NHS trust has admitted 20 women had unnecessary mastectomies while under the care of their breast unit.”
- “Of the 500 looked at so far, 315 patients have been found to have suffered harm.”
Extensive coverage across two editions, including the trust's decision to expand the review to up to 4,500 cases. It leads on the meeting, patient reactions and calls for a public inquiry, with analysis of earlier warnings and likely future harm.
- “Hospital chiefs have agreed to review up to 4,500 breast cancer cases after an investigation found serious failings, including delayed diagnosis and unnecessary surgeries.”
- “A public inquiry should have been thought of straight away. It should have been done sooner, instead of being dragged out.”
- “We expect that we will find harm. We don't know how much that will be.”
The programme only trails the story in its opening headlines before turning to air traffic control and Russia. It frames the story as an investigation revelation, with no detail on the trust, harm figures or patient response.
- “A BBC investigation reveals at least 20 women had their breasts removed unnecessarily during cancer treatment under the care of an NHS trust.”
A longer explainer segment that sets out harm figures, the trust's apology and the consultant whose practice has been restricted. It also highlights the next decision on extending the review and the involvement of the National Crime Agency.
- “Of the 539 cases reviewed so far, 59 have been found to have resulted in moderate harm, 19 in severe harm and one patient has died.”
- “They've also confirmed that they have restricted the clinical practice of a consultant.”
- “The National Crime Agency is also now involved.”
Detailed investigative reporting that centres on unnecessary mastectomies, patient testimony and private companies run by the trust's clinical lead. It also carries the later development that around 4,500 records will be reviewed and notes that the consultant remains on full pay.
- “Some have used the word feeling mutilated by an NHS trust.”
- “Our investigations have discovered that nearly £6 million was paid out by the trust in six years to breast cancer diagnostic clinics and surgery companies run privately by Mr Amir Bhatti”
- “The medical records of four and a half thousand breast cancer patients treated by the County Durham Hospital Hospital trust over the past 11 years will now be reviewed”
A studio interview with a patient, Katrina Dunbar, gives the story a personal accountability angle. It focuses on the trust's apology, the first review numbers and whether the look-back should be extended because concerns pre-date 2023.
- “County Durham and Darlington NHS Trust has apologised unreservedly after admitting that hundreds of breast cancer patients came to harm under their care between 2023 and 2025.”
- “An internal review by the trust has looked into 514 patients so far and found 315 came to harm, including one who died.”
- “we know this has gone on for quite some time. The period of the look back at the moment covers the time in which the trust were already under investigation.”
Shorter bulletin versions of the investigation, using correspondent packages. They repeat the core allegations, the private company payments and the later decision to review around 4,500 records, with less studio discussion than the main bulletins.
- “20 women at an NHS trust underwent unnecessary Mustectomies while being treated for breast cancer the trust has told the BBC”
- “The medical records of four and a half thousand breast cancer patients treated by the County Durham Hospital Hospital trust over the past 11 years will now be reviewed”
- “Mr. Bhatti is still employed by the trust He's not currently at work. But yes, it's still in receipt of full pay.”
Who was on air
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- 13:04 BST
“when the Royal College of Surgeons said,”
BBC News at One including... · Thu 24 Sept
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.