Elizabeth Griffiths, 56, was referred to the service, run by the County Durham and Darlington NHS Trust Foundation, eight years ago, after her GP spotted signs of breast cancer.

Despite being seen by consultants on two occasions, they failed to diagnose the cancer.

Darlington Memorial Hospital sign (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)

After going to a third consultant, who diagnosed the devastating disease, it was too late, and the cancer had spread.

Eight years on, the former Darlington academic now has terminal, stage four cancer, something she blames on the service’s failings in not detecting and diagnosing it in time.

“It was such a dismissive environment to be in,” she said.

Darlington Memorial Hospital sign (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)

“It’s plain and simple – it was negligence from the service, they failed to diagnose me correctly.”

During the last eight years, the 56-year-old has had a double mastectomy, lymph nodes removed, alongside painful and tiring bouts of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

A County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust sign (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

Elizabeth’s experience comes after an independent report was published on the breast surgery service at County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust (CDDFT).

Within the report, which came out on Tuesday, November 25, it was found that there had been a decade of missed warnings, ignored red flags, and “systemic failures” and that the service had, in the words of the report, been “operating in isolation, without effective oversight, accountability, or challenge.”

The County Durham and Darlington NHS Trust Foundation has admitted that Elizabeth’s experience with its breast cancer service is “completely unacceptable”.

Darlington Memorial Hospital (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

But the Darlington resident says that the lack of apology or acknowledgement from the Trust at the time is something that will “always sit uneasily”.

“The complaint process was a load of rubbish,” added Elizabeth.

“They haven’t apologised and have not admitted directly to the mistakes they made for my diagnosis and treatment.

“The whole service is rotten from the bottom to the top and needs to start again.”

While Elizabeth believes that there is “light at the end of the tunnel”, which has seen dozens of women come forward to share similar experiences of the NHS Trust service, she won’t forgive the Trust for its handling and failings of her care.

A Darlington Memorial Hospital sign (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

“The Trust tried to get away with it and cover it up. I even had an aggressive response from a surgeon at the Trust when I tried to complain.

“Even if there’s compensation in the future for families who have lost people and those who are still battling cancer, nothing will ever make up for the cost of people’s lives.”

In response to Elizabeth’s experience, the County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust has said that they “recognise the courage of Elizabeth in coming forward to share her experience, and the impact this has had on her and her family”.

University Hospital of North Durham (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)

A spokesperson for the Trust added: “We recently apologised publicly at our Open Board meeting and at our Annual General Meeting, but we want to say once more that we are deeply sorry for the failings in our breast services.

“The experience Elizabeth has described, and the distress it has caused, is completely unacceptable. No patient should ever feel dismissed or unsupported.

While we cannot comment on the specific details of her care without speaking with her directly, we would very much welcome the opportunity to do so, to listen to her concerns and offer support.

“We encourage Elizabeth or her family to contact us so we can respond personally.

“We remain committed to supporting all patients affected, learning from these experiences, and making sustained improvements to prevent anything like this from happening again.”