NHS Trust Admits Hundreds of Patients Harmed in Breast Cancer Treatment Scandal
County Durham and Darlington Foundation Trust apologizes for unnecessary surgeries and other failures, including 20 women who underwent unnecessary mastectomies.
An NHS trust in northeast England has admitted that hundreds of breast cancer patients were harmed during their treatment, including 20 women who underwent unnecessary mastectomies. The County Durham and Darlington Foundation Trust (CDDFT) acknowledged the failures after revelations last year about serious problems at its breast unit.
Steve Russell, the trust's chief executive, issued an unreserved apology for the harm caused to patients. The admission comes as some women, like Denise Howarth, have been informed by the NHS that their breasts were removed unnecessarily.
Further details about the extent of the harm and the specific failures within the trust's breast unit are expected to emerge. The BBC has been reporting on these issues, bringing to light the experiences of affected patients.