Nurses express disbelief at boss’s appointment as new union chief

Martin Shipton

Some staff at an NHS Trust have expressed disbelief at the appointment of their executive director of nursing to an equivalent role with one of their trade unions.

Nicola Williams has left Velindre University NHS Trust and joined the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) in Wales.

Some nurses at Velindre, a cancer centre in Cardiff, contacted Nation.Cymru and said: “For many frontline nursing staff, the RCN is supposed to represent safety, protection, and support — particularly for workers facing bullying, harassment, intimidation, burnout, and toxic workplace cultures within the NHS.

“That is why some nurses are expressing disbelief that a senior NHS executive has stepped directly into one of the most influential nursing union positions in Wales.

“At a time when countless NHS employees report feeling silenced, overmanaged, and afraid to challenge leadership cultures, critics argue the appointment sends entirely the wrong message.

“There are increasingly blurred lines between NHS executive leadership and the bodies meant to hold those systems accountable.

“The RCN is expected to stand beside nurses when they raise concerns about management behaviour, staffing pressures, whistleblowing, and workplace treatment. But many staff now fear the organisation risks appearing too close to the very hierarchy many nurses feel powerless against.”

In February 2026 staff at Velindre made a series of allegations against senior management and passed a collective vote of no confidence in it.

The vote came less than three months after the abrupt departure of David Donegan, the chief executive of the Velindre Trust.

An anonymous letter to Nation.Cymru from Velindre staff members stated: “Following the immediate departure of the CEO, staff believe it is now a critical moment to speak out about the significant issues within the organisation.

“We wish to highlight the toxic culture and serious mismanagement perpetuated by the executives and operational directors, which has left staff fearful of speaking out, raising concerns and, in some cases, being punished for doing so.

“We urge the media to broaden its focus beyond the CEO and examine the wider current executive and operational directors. The following issues require urgent attention:

* Bullying and harassment of staff across the organisation;

* Staff fearful to speak out or are facing adverse consequences for speaking out;

* Lack of competence and capability of the executives;

* Gross financial spending on a new senior management structure exceeding circa £1.5m, followed by a freeze on frontline staff recruitment

* An external independent review of organisational culture has been undertaken in which staff have spoken honestly about the toxic environment and culture, a report submitted to the executive, but its findings have to date not been shared with staff. The staff believe this is being covered up.

“We believe these matters are of significant public interest and warrant further investigation and exposure.”

‘Fearful culture’

A further letter from concerned staff stated: “In the whistleblowing letter, it is evident that the unsafe and fearful culture and behaviours of the executive team are directly impacting patient safety and the safe delivery of care. The implementation of the new management structure has resulted in a significant financial burden, which has led to the rejection of frontline, patient-facing roles in an effort to mitigate financial pressure. The newly recruited managers have no experience within the specialist field.

“Furthermore, the organisational change process has failed to deliver its intended outcomes due to the incompetence of the executive board. Performance measures have deteriorated, and staff retention across the organisation has significantly declined. There has been a substantial adverse impact on clinical staff, with many years of professional experience lost within a short period of time. This loss of expertise further underscores the ongoing risks to patient safety and the quality of care delivery.

“Sue Tranka, Chief Nursing Officer for Wales, and Jeremy Miles, Health Minister, are both fully aware of the current situation at Velindre. Letters have been formally sent to them outlining the serious issues currently occurring within the organisation including the unsafe and toxic culture.

“Given the seriousness of the concerns that have been raised including those directly relating to patient safety, workforce wellbeing, and the delivery of safe and effective care it is deeply concerning that both the Chief Nursing Officer for Wales and the Health Minister appear to have taken no visible or meaningful action in response.”

A spokesperson for Velindre University NHS Trust said at the time: “The Trust is committed to providing safe, high-quality care with a great experience for the donors and patients we serve. We are as committed to supporting our amazing staff to be the best they can be in a workplace which is experiencing change, ensuring that they can speak up safely; raise concerns and feel valued.

“We take all concerns raised seriously. We set out how we are taking these matters forward as part of our leadership, culture and governance arrangements at the Trust’s Public Accountability Meeting with the Welsh Government on January 15 2026. This is available for the public to see.”

‘Respect’

A spokesperson for the Welsh Government stated: “We expect that all NHS staff should be treated with dignity and respect at work and able to speak up safely to raise concerns.

“We discussed the matters raised in this correspondence with the Chair of the Velindre University NHS Trust Board at the recent public accountability meeting, which is available to view online.”

Concerns were subsequently expressed that an investigation report into the allegations was not shared with Velindre staff.

An RCN spokesperson said: “We have appointed a proud nursing leader. These issues are for Velindre to address but we have also offered the anonymous individuals an opportunity to discuss any concerns. This was not accepted but the offer still stands as our commitment to transparency and whistleblowing is strong.”

Velindre University NHS Trust has been invited to comment further.