QUESTIONS have been raised in the Senedd about the recent departure of the chief executive of Velindre University NHS Trust, who left his post after roughly a year in the role.
During Health Questions on Tuesday, Welsh Conservative MS James Evans asked Health Secretary Jeremy Miles to explain the circumstances surrounding the exit of former CEO David Donegan. Mr Miles confirmed that the Welsh Government had received correspondence relating to governance issues at the Trust, but said he would not release it at this stage.
Governance concerns noted in official report
The Velindre University NHS Trust’s published 2024/25 annual report records that the Trust “escalated concerns to Audit Wales and Welsh Government about the current governance of Shared Services which hadn’t been reviewed since 2012.”
The report does not specify the nature of the concerns, nor does it link them to the CEO’s departure. The report also states that no issues identified “gave any cause for concern that the consolidated financial accounts are affected or in any way inaccurate.”
Trust confirms leadership change
Velindre University NHS Trust has publicly confirmed that Mr Donegan has left his role and that an interim chief executive has been appointed. The Trust has not given a reason for the change, stating that it does not comment on individual employment matters.
There has been no official statement from Velindre linking his departure to any governance concern referenced in the annual report.
Welsh Government position
The Welsh Government has also declined to comment on the circumstances of Mr Donegan’s exit, citing standard restrictions around employment confidentiality. Ministers have not confirmed any investigation or wrongdoing relating to Shared Services.
During the Senedd exchange, Health Secretary Jeremy Miles acknowledged the existence of correspondence but did not commit to publishing it.
Calls for transparency
Speaking after the session, James Evans MS said the Welsh Government should release the correspondence referenced by the Health Secretary in order to reassure the public.
There is currently no confirmed evidence in the public domain of criminality or misconduct, aside from the governance matters recorded in the Trust’s annual report.
