Chief Medical Officer for Wales visits Velindre

Velindre University NHS Trust was pleased to welcome the Chief Medical Officer for Wales for a visit that provided a comprehensive look at the broad work across the Trust and the progress being made on the new Velindre Cancer Centre.

Professor Isabel Oliver was appointed the Chief Medical Officer for Wales in April 2025 and in her role provides clinical leadership and independent professional advice to the Welsh Government about health and public health matters.

Prof Oliver’s visit was also an opportunity to showcase the scale of the new Velindre Cancer Centre site, the clinical ambition behind the project and the benefits the new centre will bring for patients, families and staff.

During the visit, Prof Oliver heard from a number of colleagues across the Trust highlighting our organisational priorities, the background to the development of the new Velindre Cancer Centre, the role and impact of the Welsh Blood Service, our approach to medical leadership and the growing strengths of our research and development portfolio.

Velindre University NHS Trust Interim Chief Executive Carl James said: “It was a privilege to welcome the Chief Medical Officer and to provide a full picture of the Trust’s work - from the essential national role of the Welsh Blood Service to the transformative plans for our world-class new Velindre Cancer Centre. The visit highlighted the passion, expertise and determination found across our teams, and the shared commitment across NHS Wales to deliver the highest quality of care and best outcomes for our patients and donors.”

The Chief Medical Officer was given a tour of the new Velindre Cancer Centre site, where she was able to see first-hand the progress being made and meet members of the project team leading its development.

Chief Medical Officer for Wales Professor Isabel Oliver: “I was delighted to visit the new Cancer Centre site and see the progress being made. I was impressed by the ambition of the team to improve health outcomes for the people of Wales and to make Wales a world leader in the field of cancer treatment and I look forward to working with them to make this a reality.”

The visit showcased the scale of the build, the clinical vision shaping the future of cancer care to deliver improved care to patients and the sustainable features designed with patients and staff at its core.

Velindre University NHS Trust Executive Medical Director Jacinta Abraham said: “The visit was an important moment to demonstrate the clinical ambition that underpins everything we do right across the Trust. From research and innovation to medical leadership and the design of our new Velindre Cancer Centre, our focus is on improving outcomes and creating the highest-quality care for people across Wales. We were delighted to share that vision with the Chief Medical Officer.”

The visit underlined Velindre's continued drive to deliver world-class services for the people of Wales and our progress towards opening the new Velindre Cancer Centre in Spring 2027.