Durham NHS boss sorry after missing breast service victim meeting - EUROPE SAYS
Women hit by failures including missed cancers and unneeded operations at the County Durham and Darlington Trust have been left bereft after chief executive Steve Russell was a no-show at a meeting on Monday. . .
Women hit by failures including missed cancers and unneeded operations at the County Durham and Darlington Trust have been left bereft after chief executive Steve Russell was a no-show at a meeting on Monday (June 15). Seven women, representing a group of 129, were due to tell him how they’d been affected by the scandal, but as they took their seats they discovered Mr Russell wouldn’t be attending as he had ‘other commitments’. Amelia Green, whopreviously told how she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2019 after an “insensitive” appointment, said she was “disappointed but not surprised”. The 42-year-old from Stanley said: “It was the Trust’s chance to show they care, but they failed. ”The chief exec has since apologised and said his not attending was an “oversight”. Amelia said: “When we turned up at the meeting, we were greeted by several people, but none of them was the chief executive. “The reason given was for the doctors’ strikes, but I wasn’t aware there were any doctors’ strikes. “We would have left the meeting if not for one of the women who had travelled hundreds of miles to be there. “It was the Trust’s chance to show they care, but they failed”“We were disappointed but not surprised by the Trust. ”The scandal at the NHS Trust centres on independent reviews, published last year, thatidentified missed cancers, delayed diagnoses, inappropriate procedures, and long-running concerns about clinical practice, with the report calling them “decade-long systemic failures”. Around 1,500 patient records remain under review andDurham Police continue to investigatewhether any criminal offences may have taken place. Amelia said previously that her initial diagnosis appointment in 2019 lasted “seconds”. “I was terrified,” she said. “It was so matter-of-fact with no emotion the way they told me I had cancer. ”Mr Russell wrote to the women on Wednesday afternoon and has since clarified his position after ‘no showing’ at the meeting. “Earlier this week, I wrote directly to those involved to apologise for not communicating in advance that I would not be able to attend the meeting and that our Deputy Chief Executive and senior nursing colleagues would be attending on behalf of the Trust,” he said. A County Durham and Darlington NHS Trust sign (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)“I understand why this caused disappointment and frustration, and it was our oversight. “I am sorry for the additional upset that this caused. “This is not reflective of the importance I, or the Trust, place on supporting those affected by the breast service review. “Listening to women and families, understanding their experiences, and working with them to understand what support they need remains a priority for us. “My colleagues who attended the meeting listened carefully to the concerns raised and have taken away several actions, which are now being followed up on. ”Mr Russell added that the Trust “remain committed to ongoing engagement with the group and has offered future meetings to continue those discussions”. Last week, The Northern Echo called on the new health secretary, James Murray, to answer questions on whether the Government will order a public inquiryinto failings at the trust. A petition calling for a probe, reform of breast cancer services at the Trust and accountability for those responsible for the care of affected patients, has gathered more than 1,800 signatures. Darlington Memorial Hospital (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)A police reporting portal has also been openedfor people who believe they may have been victims of crime because of surgery through breast cancer services. The Department of Health and Social Care has apologised to women who received a poor standard of care from the Trust and said it was taking the findings “extremely seriously”. A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “Our thoughts are with all the women and their loved ones who received a poor standard of care from the Trust. “No one should have to go through what they experienced. “We take the findings from the Care Quality Commission extremely seriously and expect the highest standards of care from all NHS Trusts. Where those standards fall short, there should be swift and meaningful action. ”