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NHS trust admits 20 women had unnecessary mastectomies, BBC reports

An NHS trust in England admitted 20 women had unnecessary mastectomies, according to BBC News.

Updated Sep 18, 2026 · 19:14 UTC1 reports

The short version

  • County Durham and Darlington Foundation Trust admitted 20 women underwent unnecessary mastectomies during breast cancer care.[BBC News]
  • Out of 514 cases reviewed so far, 315 patients suffered harm, including 77 with significant harm and one known death.[BBC News]
  • Police and the National Crime Agency are investigating to determine if criminal offences occurred.[BBC News]
  • The trust may extend its review back to 2015, which could reopen up to 10,000 medical records.[BBC News]

Key facts

  • CDDFT admitted that 20 women underwent unnecessary breast removal surgeries during cancer treatment.[BBC News]
  • A review of 514 patient cases found 315 patients suffered harm, with 77 experiencing significant harm and one reported death.[BBC News]
  • The trust's chief executive issued an unreserved apology for treatment failures.[BBC News]
  • The National Crime Agency and Durham Police are evaluating former patient allegations for potential criminal charges.[BBC News]

What remains uncertain

  • It remains undecided whether the internal review will expand to cover cases back to 2015, which could affect up to 10,000 medical records.[BBC News]
  • Law enforcement has not yet determined if any criminal offences took place.[BBC News]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.