(Image: Stuart Boulton)
A woman seeking answers about her daughters' breast cancer care after one died more than 15 years ago has called for a public inquiry at a scandal-hit trust.
Jackie Holmes, 71, from Durham, has been left with questions about the County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust’s care of her two daughters.
In 2007, Jackie’s daughter Michaela was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer, an aggressive form of the disease, and had a lumpectomy followed by several rounds of chemotherapy.
Michaela died in 2009, before the chemotherapy treatment finished.
Jackie Holmes outside Prospect House in Durham (Image: Stuart Boulton)
In 2019, Jackie’s other daughter, Amelia Green, was diagnosed with breast cancer, bringing back the “devastating and tragic memories” of Michaela’s illness a decade earlier.
Jackie says ongoing revelations about the Trust have brought the unanswered questions over her daughters’ care back to mind.
"Every time you see something about the breast cancer care at the Trust and other failings, it always makes me think about my daughters," she said.
"We desperately need answers about their care. Michaela isn't here any more to get the answers, so I'm here to seek justice for Michaela."
Paying tribute to Michaela, Mrs Holmes described her as a “happy and smiling woman” whose death caused “such a deep loss for her family, and especially her siblings”.
From left, Nedeen Lister and Jackie Holmes outside Prospect House in Durham (Image: Stuart Boulton)
Jackie spoke after a meeting last week at which the trust agreed to continue its review of cases from January 2023 to February 2025.
The review will then work backwards from 2022 to 2015, with the board assessing each year’s findings before deciding whether to examine the next.
The board was told about 4,500 women’s treatments could be reviewed if the exercise reaches back to 2015.
Board papers suggested the review could take five years, meaning women treated in 2015 might wait until 2031 for their cases to be examined.
Jackie added that Amelia, her other daughter and co-founder of the 150-strong Pink Justice Network, is also seeking answers about her own care.
"We must keep battling for all of the people affected by this awful situation," the 71-year-old said.
“While the trust has extended its lookback, it's only doing it year on year; there'll be lots of people who might not get their care reviewed, and people could be left waiting until 2031.”
Mrs Holmes has called for a public inquiry instead of a trust-led case review.
Jackie Holmes outside Prospect House in Durham (Image: Stuart Boulton)
She said: “It would be better if the Government said it would hold a public inquiry.
“It would be better for the trust as well.
“It’s all right for the Trust to say they’re going to do this and they’re going to do that, but they have admitted this morning that they don’t have enough staff to do what they’re doing.”
Trust chief executive Steve Russell said: “We remain deeply sorry for the harm and distress caused, and for the times when we should have listened more carefully and acted sooner.”
“We have heard from women who want us to look further back and who understandably want reassurance that others who may have been affected will be identified.
“Likewise, some women and families have told us they would not have wanted concerns about their care brought back to them many years later, and that receiving this information has itself been very distressing for them and their families.
"We have listened carefully to those different experiences and views, and to the importance of doing this work thoroughly and making sure the right support is available throughout.
University Hospital of North Durham in Durham City. CEO of the County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust, Steve Russell (Image: Chris Booth)
"Our support will remain open and available throughout. Where we identify concerns about someone's care, we will contact them directly and make sure they receive the information and support they need.
“We cannot change what happened, but we can continue to listen, support those affected and do everything we can to get this next stage right.”
Patients worried about past treatment have been urged to call the hotline on 0191 333 2126 rather than wait to hear from the trust.
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Of 514 cases reviewed so far, 315 patients were found to have suffered harm, including 77 who experienced significant harm.
At least 20 women were found to have undergone unnecessary mastectomies, while other cases involved delayed or missed diagnoses and unnecessarily extensive surgery.
Concerns about the service date back to 2015, with regulators and NHS programmes later identifying high re-excision and mastectomy rates and delayed diagnoses.
Durham Police, supported by the National Crime Agency, is investigating whether criminal offences were committed.