Overview
- The trust board agreed on Thursday to finish its current review of cases from January 2023 to February 2025 and then work backwards year by year towards 2015, deciding after each year whether to continue.
- So far 514 cases have been examined and the trust found 315 patients suffered harm, 77 suffered significant harm, at least 20 women underwent unnecessary mastectomies and one patient is known to have died.
- If the lookback reaches 2015 it could cover about 4,500 patients and take roughly five years, a timetable campaigners warn could leave some people waiting until as late as 2031 for answers.
- Durham Police, supported by the National Crime Agency, is carrying out a joint criminal investigation into whether offences were committed, and the former breast clinical lead, Dr Amir Bhatti, remains employed with surgical restrictions after a High Court refused to lift them.
- Patient groups and some MPs are demanding a full public inquiry, urgent extra resourcing, compensation and review of honours tied to senior leaders, while the trust has apologised and offered support through a helpline and case contacts.