The County Durham and Darlington Foundation Trust is under criminal investigation after a review revealed 315 women suffered harm from breast cancer care. These failures included unnecessary mastectomies and at least one death, prompting a probe by the National Crime Agency and Durham Police.
The 315 women harmed by the County Durham and Darlington Foundation Trust
A review conducted by the County Durham and Darlington Foundation Trust between January 2023 and February 2025 found that 315 patients experienced harm , with 77 categorized as suffering serious injury. According to the report, the most devastating aspect for many was the discovery that their mastectomies were unnecessary. In one specific case, Denise Howarth of Consett was informed in September 2025 that a second lumpectomy would have been sufficient instead of the full breast removal she underwent in 2021.
The psychological toll on these patients has been profound, with some describing themselves as "mutilated" after trusting the NHS to provide optimal care. Chief Executive Steve Russell has issued an unreserved apology, describing the outcomes as "utterly unacceptable" while the trust maintains a dedicated helpline for the 640 former patients who have come forward.
Amir Bhatti's £6 million payment model and the conflict of interest
Central to the investigation is Amir Bhatti, who served as the clinical lead for breast services at the County Durham and Darlington Foundation Trust from 2013 to 2024. As reported in the source, the trust paid nearly £6 million last year to operate breast cancer diagnostic clinics and surgery venues owned personally by Bhatti.. This "payment per service" model has raised significant questions about whether financial incentives influenced clinical decision-making.
While Steve Russell defended the payment per service model as a common healthcare practice, the County Durham and Darlington Foundation Trust has since terminated all outsourcing arrangements for breast cancer services. This financial entanglement occurs alongside allegations that Bhatti previously raised concerns regarding diagnostic equipment delays and the outsourcing of appointments to private firms.
The Royal College of Surgeons' warning on multidisciplinary team meetings
The failure in patient care appears to be systemic rather than isolated. A report from the Royal College of Surgeons issued last year suggested that breast cancer cases at the trust were not being discussed adequately in multidisciplinary team meetings. These meetings are designed to provide a safety net, ensuring multiple specialists agree on a surgical path before a patient undergoes an invasive procedure like a mastectomy.
This lack of rigorous peer review echoes a wider trend of governance failures in specialized NHS units where a single dominant clinician can bypass institutional checks... The current crisis at the County Durham and Darlington Foundation Trust underscores the danger of eroding the multidisciplinary approach in favor of streamlined, potentially profit-driven, private arrangements.
Expanding the review to 10,000 medical records from 2015
The scope of the failure may be far larger than the initial review suggests. The County Durham and Darlington Foundation Trust is now expanding its investigation to cover cases dating back to 2015, a move that could necessitate the reopening of up to 10,000 medical records. This expansion suggests that the window of potential harm spans over a decade of clinical leadership.
The National Crime Agency and Durham Police are currently investigating whether criminal conduct occurred during this period. Meanwhile, affected women have organized support meetings at the Beamish Football Centre in Stanley to advocate for a full public inquiry into the trust's breast cancer care protocols.
Why is Amir Bhatti still receiving full pay while suspended?
One of the most contentious points remaining is the employment status of Amir Bhatti. Despite being suspended from clinical practice, Bhatti continues to receive full pay from the County Durham and Darlington Foundation Trust. This arrangement remains a point of anger for patients who have suffered permanent physical loss.
It remains unclear exactly what the National Crime Agency is seeking to prove regarding "criminal conduct," and the trust has not clarified the legal basis for maintaining Bhatti's salary during a police probe. Furthermore, the source does not specify if any other clinicians are under investigation for endorsing the unnecessary surgeries.
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