Coventry cancer care failings
Fiona and Becky explain the story so far.
County Durham Breast Cancer Negligence Concerns
Independent legal advice for patients and families affected by the County Durham and Darlington breast surgery review.
Serious concerns have emerged about breast cancer diagnosis, treatment and surgery provided by County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust.
The Trust has confirmed that hundreds of patients suffered harm, including women who underwent mastectomies that were later found to have been unnecessary.
Other concerns identified through independent reviews include missed or delayed cancer diagnoses, unnecessary surgery, failures in treatment planning and wider concerns about clinical governance and oversight.
For patients and families, discovering that the treatment you trusted may have been unnecessary, delayed or inappropriate can be devastating.
Our medical negligence specialists have extensive experience in investigating complex cancer treatment cases involving multiple patients and potential wider failures in healthcare systems. We currently represent a significant cohort of cancer patients affected by serious treatment concerns at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust.
Our approach goes beyond looking at a single clinical decision. We investigate the complete patient journey, including diagnosis, pathology, radiology, multidisciplinary team decision making, surgery, oncology treatment, informed consent and the systems that should have protected patients from avoidable harm.
If you’re worried about:
- Was my mastectomy really necessary?
- Was my cancer diagnosed what it should have been?
- Were all appropriate treatment options considered and offered to me?
- Did I undergo surgery or treatment that I didn't need?
- Should somebody have identified problems with my diagnosis, treatment and care sooner?
- Is my treatment being reviewed and what should I do now?
We can help you to find the answers. Get in touch today for a free, no-obligation initial consultation with our experts.
If your case proceeds to a claim, most of our cases proceed under a ‘no win, no fee’ agreement.
Give us a call on 0333 004 4488, email medneg@brabners.com or complete our contact form.
You may also wish to contact our Head of Medical Negligence, Fiona Tinsley, directly.
Have you been affected?
If you (or a loved one) received breast cancer diagnosis or treatment through County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust and have concerns about your care, we would encourage you to seek independent legal advice.
This may include patients who:
- underwent a mastectomy and are now concerned it may not have been necessary
- underwent breast or lymph node surgery that may have been unnecessary
- experienced a missed or delayed breast cancer diagnosis
- weren’t offered treatment that may have been clinically appropriate
- received conflicting information about diagnosis or treatment
- have been contacted as part of the Trust's patient review
- were treated through associated NHS or private breast services and have concerns about their treatment
- lost a family member and now have questions about whether failures in their care contributed to their death.
You don’t need to know whether negligence occurred before speaking to us. That’s our job — and it’s what we’re here to investigate.
Why choose Brabners
Every patient's circumstances are different.
Our specialists can obtain and review your medical records and work with trusted, independent breast surgeons, oncologists, radiologists and other experts to establish:
- what treatment should have been provided to you
- whether your care met a reasonable standard
- whether any failings caused avoidable injury or loss.
Where appropriate, we can also investigate a claim for compensation for the physical, psychological and financial consequences of negligent treatment.
Just as importantly, we can help you to understand what happened and why.
Do I have a claim?
Many people contact us because something simply doesn't feel right or because information that they’ve subsequently received has caused them to question their treatment.
An initial conversation with us is entirely confidential and without obligation.
We’ll listen to your concerns, explain the issues that may require investigation and advise you on the next steps.
We know just how devastating it can be to discover that your care was negligent — especially when it may be part of a wider pattern of failures.
We’re here to listen and support you (and your family) in any way that we can.
Specialist breast cancer negligence solicitors
Our team is led by experienced Partner Fiona Tinsley. She holds a Clinical Negligence Accreditation from The Law Society and is praised for her "high intelligence, empathy and fierce commitment to her clients".
Fiona has dedicated her career to helping patients access justice and rebuild their lives following medical negligence. Her role requires a deep understanding of medical law and the ability to analyse medical records — the main source of evidence required to establish the high threshold in proving a case.
Fiona leads our work in representing a significant number of patients affected by prolonged unnecessary chemotherapy treatments at University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire NHS Trust. The Royal College of Physicians’ review has identified serious concerns about patient safety, informed consent, clinical decision making and the effectiveness of the systems designed to protect patients.
If you have concerns about breast cancer treatment in County Durham, you can speak to Fiona for compassionate, confidential and expert advice.
Meet our experts
Watch: our team exposes the Coventry unnecessary chemotherapy scandal
NHS chemotherapy overuse
We expose systemic failures in chemotherapy overuse within NHS trusts.
GMB interview
We discussed unnecessary chemo on Good Morning Britain.
Unnecessary chemo FAQs
Our team answers some key questions.
“Fiona [Tinsley’s] attention to detail and compassion [was] astonishing... Fiona concluded my case, negotiating a substantial settlement on my (and my wife’s) behalf, helping to secure our future. I'd happily recommend Fiona and Brabners in regard to any clinical negligence claim in the future. You could not get a better service.”
Anonymous client 'MP'
“I was so fortunate to have found Becky Addison along with Brabners — you gave me courage to move forward with life. People need to know that help is out there. Thank you for all your empathy... your firm is truly second to none. I feel truly blessed to have found you.”
Client feedback
“Thank you for everything you've done. You've gone above and beyond most solicitors. You really have been amazing and I feel like I've gained a friend through this process.”
Client feedback
“Fiona Tinsley was very helpful, friendly and knowledgeable throughout my case, for which I was extremely grateful and managed to obtain a very successful outcome. Easy to contact and answered emails quickly and efficiently.”
Client feedback
“You [Andrew Tindall] have been fantastic, very friendly and easy to communicate with. You've been very helpful and the whole process has been very easy for myself. I really can’t thank you enough for all your efforts.”
Client feedback
“I couldn't be more impressed with Becky Addison. She took the time to thoroughly understand my situation, patiently listening to all my concerns and questions and providing clear, insightful explanations every step of the way. Her communication skills were outstanding, ensuring that I was always kept informed of developments and promptly responding to any questions I had.”
Client feedback
“Firstly, l would like to thank you for your persistence and hard work on behalf myself and the girls. We can now have closure on what happened... It has been a long and tough road, but you have been caring and very easy to talk to and always had time to answer my questions. I will definitely recommend your services if the need arises in the future to friends and family.”
Medical negligence client
“'Thank you' is just not enough to express my gratitude. You're a lovely person with a kind heart and have helped me more than you know. I’m proud to be a part of the NHS and it truly saddened me that I had to consider taking legal action against an industry that I love but you helped me understand how to channel those feelings in the right way.”
Anonymous client 'TC'
Chemo negligence FAQs
Brabners is a leading independent law firm.
Our independence allows us to be objective, principled and provide a service with heart and personality.
We’re on a mission to Make The Difference for our clients, people and communities.
Chemo negligence insights
Review finds patient “betrayal” & serious failures in UHCW brain tumour treatment
Patients and their families have received major vindication following the findings of the RCP’s initial review into treatment provided under Prof Ian Brown.
Widow calls for answers over husband’s brain tumour treatment after concerns raised about chemotherapy care at UHCW
Anne Wilkinson's husband, Trevor, died following months of radiotherapy and Temozolomide chemotherapy for a brain tumour. Now, she's demanding answers.
NHS Trust admits liability in long-running chemotherapy scandal
Prof Ian Brown's patients were told that treatment was lifesaving but UHCW later confirmed it was neither evidence-based nor aligned with NICE guidance.
Six-figure settlement for seriously injured machine operator
Our serious personal injury team successfully secured £125,000 for a young part‑time worker who suffered a serious crush injury.
Lucy’s story: 7 years of harmful cancer treatment under Prof Ian Brown
Despite guidelines recommending a maximum of six chemotherapy cycles, Lucy was prescribed over 75 across seven years — long after her scans showed no evidence of progression.
Patterns of harm in UK neurosurgery: what patients need to know about negligence investigations
Across the UK, neurosurgery and neuro-oncology services at several NHS Trusts have been subject to independent reviews, regulatory scrutiny and (in some cases) Police investigations.
Prolonged chemotherapy case study: David Bown's story
Prolonged chemotherapy treatment at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire has sadly had a devastating and irreversible impact on David's life.
Brabners' lawyers uncover fresh concerns in cancer care across Coventry & Warwickshire
Concerns about chemotherapy now point to systemic failings involving neuro-oncology clinicians, neurosurgeons, neuroradiologists and more at UHCW.
Revealed: Royal College of Physicians to launch independent external review into unnecessary Temozolomide chemotherapy
Patients affected by the extended use of adjuvant Temozolomide chemotherapy have received a letter from University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust.
Lawyers call for independent scrutiny as scale of Midlands chemotherapy scandal grows
As seen on ITV's Good Morning Britain, we're calling for an extended patient safety review and independent investigation into an unnecessary chemotherapy regime.
Longstanding advisors to patients affected by unnecessary long-term chemotherapy treatments in Coventry & Warwickshire
We’re the only solicitors to have been working with patients affected by Prof Ian Brown's long-term Temozolomide chemotherapy treatments since April 2024.
Support for those affected by prolonged temozolomide chemotherapy treatments — Professor Ian Brown accused of failing patients
Recent revelations have raised concerns about patients who were subjected to prolonged temozolomide chemotherapy treatments at the University Hospitals of Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust.
Brabners Personal — full-service legal support for individuals and families
From building a family to creating Wills and trusts, buying or selling property, land or a business, planning for your succession or dealing with a crisis, it helps to have ready access to a multidisciplinary legal team that can support you with whatever life throws your way.
New Personal Injury Discount Rate (PIDR) explained
Discover what the PIDR is and why it's changing, as well as what this means for those affected by serious personal injury.
Is my spouse entitled to my compensation for clinical negligence or serious injury in divorce proceedings?
Find out how the law works and the available routes to safeguard your clinical negligence compensation from financial settlements in divorce proceedings.
How solicitors and barristers support you after a brain or spinal injury — Brabners x Exchange Chambers
Fiona Tinsley and Bill Braithwaite explain the teamwork approach we adopt to support clients and their families who've suffered from a serious injury.
RED-S in sport — the warning signs and why more must be done on athlete welfare
Ever more athletes are speaking out about the dangers of RED-S — a serious health issue that can do lasting damage.
Injury during caesarean section results in five-figure medical negligence settlement
Our team details what went wrong and how we went about securing compensation.
Pro-bono medical negligence support secures extensive testing for brain stem dead patient
Our medical negligence team provided pro-bono legal support to the family of a young man who was considered brain-dead.
Document error resulting in unnecessary vein surgery leads to clinical negligence settlement
Our medical negligence team achieved an out of court settlement for a client who underwent unnecessary vein surgery.
Delay in diagnosis and treatment results in six-figure clinical negligence settlement
Our medical negligence team helped a client to achieve a six-figure settlement for a delay in diagnosis and treatment.
Terminal cancer diagnosis leads to six-figure clinical negligence settlement
Our medical negligence team helped a 68-year-old man to be awarded £380,000 for a terminal oesophageal cancer diagnosis.
Has your child missed out on NHS hearing tests or treatments? Here’s how to take action
If your child has been impacted by lack of screening, delayed treatment or improper diagnosis, we can help.
Contact our experts today
Loading form...