Catriona Dunbar, from Stanley, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2023 and underwent a lumpectomy as part of her treatment within the County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust

Now cancer-free, she says her experience has left her questioning many aspects of her care and feeling deeply let down by the health service she trusted.

Catriona Dunbar (Image: STUART BOULTON)

Catriona said she felt patients were being treated “like a conveyor belt” at the hands of the then clinical lead for breast services, Amir Ahmed Bhatti, and claimed there was little time for meaningful discussions during appointments.

“I left my treatment in their hands completely,” she said.

One of the most difficult periods came while she was recovering from surgery and receiving treatment in 2024.

During a trip to Northern Ireland to attend a friend’s wedding, Catriona noticed a growth developing in her breast which rapidly increased in size.

She said the swelling eventually grew to around the size of a plum.

A County Durham and Darlington NHS Trust sign (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)

“It was frightening because I didn’t know what was happening,” she said.

The situation came to a head while she was shopping for underwear during the trip.

“The growth suddenly burst,” she said.

“I was standing in the shop, and it just happened. I felt completely humiliated and without dignity.”

Catriona says the owner of the shop immediately closed to help her deal with the situation privately.

“I’ll never forget the kindness she showed me,” she said.

Amir Ahmed Bhatti, the former clinical lead for breast surgery (Image: SUBMIT)

After contacting hospital services back in the North East, Catriona says she was reassured that she would be “okay”.

However, when she later attended hospital after returning home, she claims she was left feeling unwelcome.

“I was asked, ‘Why are you here?’ It made me feel like I was a burden,” she said.

Catriona says she had previously requested a mastectomy but was advised against it, a decision she struggled to understand and which left her feeling frustrated.

She also described consulting arrangements which she felt offered little privacy or opportunity to discuss concerns in detail.

Among the most upsetting incidents, she says, was an appointment after her breast became infected following surgery.

According to Catriona, a doctor drained the infected area with a surgical blade without discussing the procedure with her, offering anaesthetic or telling her what was going to happen.

Catriona Dunbar and her husband Paul (Image: FAMILY)

“There was no dignity in any of it,” she said.

In December 2025, Catriona met with representatives from the trust to discuss her concerns.

She says she was told during the meeting that mistakes had been made in her care.

However, she claims that in letters afterwards, she was informed there was “no evidence” to support those conclusions.

Her case is one of hundreds now being scrutinised as part of the ongoing breast cancer scandal at County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust.

Catriona has also started legal proceedings about issues with her care.

She is also part of a group of between 90 and 100 women who have launched a petition to get answers for thousands of women who have been impacted.

Their petition calls for a national inquiry into the scandal , a complete overhaul of breast cancer services at the Trust, and accountability for those responsible for the care of affected patients.

Catriona Dunbar (Image: FAMILY)

Around 1,500 patient records are currently being examined, while Durham Police continues to investigate whether any criminal offences may have been committed and has created a police portal.

Independent reviews have uncovered serious failings within the service, including missed cancers, delayed diagnoses and inappropriate surgical procedures.

County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust has commissioned external reviews of patient cases as part of ongoing investigations into the service, following a report which identified a ‘decade-long pattern of failures, missed warnings and delayed action’.

The trust has previously said it is “deeply sorry” to hear about patients’ experiences and has accepted the findings of an independent review into its breast surgery service.

In a fresh statement, Gill Hunt, Chief Nurse at CDDFT, said: “We fully recognise the seriousness of what has happened in breast services and the significant impact and distress this has caused for patients and families.

“We understand the strength of feeling that remains and why people want clear answers and confidence that learning and improvement have taken place.

“We take that responsibility very seriously and are committed to ensuring concerns are thoroughly investigated, affected patients are supported, and the lessons identified lead to meaningful and lasting improvements.”

The chief nurse added that the Trust had made significant improvements in its breast cancer services and “remains committed to being open and transparent about both the progress being made and the work that still lies ahead.”