Staff say they have no confidence in their NHS Trust’s management

Martin Shipton

Staff at an NHS Trust have made a series of allegations against senior management and passed a collective vote of no confidence in it.

The development comes less than three months after the abrupt departure of David Donegan, the chief executive of Velindre University NHS Trust in Cardiff.

An anonymous letter to Nation.Cymru from Velindre staff members states: “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’

A further letter from concerned staff states: “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.

“Please may I add a few further important points. 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.

“I am struggling to understand how repeated and escalating calls for help, which explicitly describe risks to patient safety and care delivery, can be acknowledged at senior levels and yet seemingly disregarded. This lack of response not only undermines staff confidence but also raises serious questions about accountability and governance within the system.

“Further to this, a significant concern was raised during the Velindre NHS Trust accountability meeting, where the Chair stated that the Trust’s financial position is expected to break even, despite the introduction of a new management structure reportedly in excess of £1.5m.

“In the context of the current operational pressures, staffing challenges, and patient safety risks being reported, this statement raises serious questions regarding financial transparency, prioritisation of resources, and the credibility of assurances being provided at Board level.

“I would appreciate clarity on what actions, if any, are being taken to address these concerns, how patient safety is currently being assured at Velindre, and how financial decisions of this scale are being justified and scrutinised. Given the serious issues stated above, and adverse impact on the public, the public are entitled to be informed.”

‘High quality care’

A spokesperson for Velindre University NHS Trust said: “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.”

A spokesperson for the Welsh Government said: “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.”