The Report of the Independent External Review of Governance within the Breast Surgery Services (November 2025)

Summary

This independent external review has assessed governance within the Breast Surgery Services at County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust. The review also examined wider Trust governance to identify lessons learned and support ongoing improvement. The review was commissioned to provide objective assurance, highlight areas of good practice, and address systemic issues that may affect patient safety, clinical standards, or regulatory compliance. The original review period from 2018 to 2024) was extended to cover 2012 to 2025 to ensure key milestones and persistent issues predating the initial timeframe were captured.