ABS statement on breast surgery services at County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust

The Association of Breast Surgery (ABS) is deeply concerned by the experiences highlighted in the BBC documentary, Breast Cancer Scandal: Exposing the Harm (18 September 2026), and the BBC’s wider reporting on breast surgery services at County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust. We extend our deepest sympathies to the patients affected and recognise the serious and lasting impact described in these accounts.

We also recognise the scrutiny and uncertainty experienced by staff at the Trust and in neighbouring services, including those supporting patients and contributing to the ongoing review process. We thank colleagues for their continued efforts to support the service during this period.

We understand that these reports may cause anxiety among people receiving breast care elsewhere in the UK. ABS would like to reassure patients that a strong national framework of professional guidance, standards and governance is in place to support safe, high-quality breast cancer care. In County Durham and Darlington, measures have been introduced to improve the safety and effectiveness of the service.

Safe breast cancer care is supported by effective teamwork, appropriate peer review, multidisciplinary decision-making, informed consent, robust clinical governance and audit. Mastectomy is an appropriate treatment for some patients, but it is only one of several options. Every recommendation should reflect the patient’s individual circumstances, be considered by the full multidisciplinary team, with the benefits, risks and alternatives clearly communicated to the patient.

ABS develops and promotes clinical and professional standards for breast surgery, providing guidance to multidisciplinary breast teams across the UK. Alongside this, national initiatives such as the Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) breast surgery programme provide services with data, benchmarking and practical resources to identify variation and improve care. Consistent use of these resources supports evidence-based practice and strengthens accountability for patient safety. ABS encourages all healthcare professionals and services involved in breast care to make full use of this established guidance, alongside the available quality, audit and benchmarking resources.

In particular, the ABS Mastectomy Avoidance Toolkit provides practical support for multidisciplinary teams seeking to reduce unnecessary mastectomies. It shares evidence, addresses common misconceptions and outlines practical responses to recurring challenges, while strengthening shared decision-making with patients. The toolkit complements clinical guidelines and individualised professional judgement.

The reporting on services in County Durham and Darlington demonstrates why these safeguards and resources matter. ABS remains committed to supporting breast teams, promoting best practice, advancing standards in breast care and surgery, and helping services learn and improve continuously so that patients can have confidence in the care they receive. Patients should feel able to ask questions about their diagnosis and treatment, understand the options available, and expect decisions to be made within a multidisciplinary service supported by robust clinical governance.