The appointment has been agreed by the Boards of Directors at DBTH, Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust.
Dr Jenkins will take on the role at DBTH alongside his existing position as Joint Chief Executive of the Barnsley and Rotherham trusts.
The arrangement builds on the successful partnership already established between Barnsley and Rotherham, creating further opportunities to share expertise, develop colleagues and strengthen services across South Yorkshire and North Nottinghamshire.
It also supports DBTH as it continues its programme of improvement and delivery of its Three-Year Plan.
Importantly, there are no changes to the way patients access NHS services. All three Trusts will remain independent NHS foundation trusts, each with its own Board of Directors, Executive Team and statutory responsibilities, while decisions about local services will continue to be made locally.
A former consultant physician specialising in diabetes and endocrinology, Dr Jenkins has served as Chief Executive of Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust since 2017 and has led Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust through one of the NHS’s longest-established shared Chief Executive arrangements since 2020.
During his tenure, the two organisations have strengthened clinical collaboration, shared expertise and created new opportunities for colleagues while maintaining each Trust’s independence and local accountability, an approach that has seen Richard recognised among the Health Service Journal’s Top 50 NHS Chief Executives for five consecutive years.
In a joint statement, Mark Bailey, Chair of Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals, and Dr Mike Richmond, Chair of Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We are pleased that Richard has agreed to take on this role.
“DBTH has made significant progress in recent years, while Barnsley and Rotherham have demonstrated how organisations can work successfully together whilst remaining independent and focused on the needs of their local communities.
“Our three organisations already have a strong track record of collaboration, including through the Mexborough Elective Orthopaedic Centre, which is helping reduce waiting times and improve access to planned care. Richard’s appointment builds on those foundations, creating further opportunities to share expertise, strengthen services and develop colleagues where this benefits patients.
“Each Trust will remain an independent NHS foundation trust, with its own Board, Executive Team and statutory responsibilities. Patients will continue to access services exactly as they do today, and decisions about local services will continue to be made locally.”
Speaking about the appointment, Dr Jenkins said: “I’m proud to continue leading Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust, and pleased to take additional responsibilities at Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals. I look forward to building on the strong foundations already in place and creating new opportunities for our three organisations to learn from one another where that benefits patients and colleagues.
“Healthcare is, above all, about people. The dedication, compassion and expertise of colleagues make the biggest difference to patients every day, and I’m looking forward to meeting colleagues across DBTH, getting to know our communities and supporting the excellent work already underway.
“This appointment also has real personal significance for me. I began my career as a resident doctor at Doncaster Royal Infirmary and Montagu Hospital, so returning to the Trust in this role feels like coming full circle.”
Dr Jenkins will take up the role on 17 August 2026. Until then, Zara Jones will continue as Acting Chief Executive, ensuring a smooth transition before returning to her substantive role as Deputy Chief Executive ahead of taking up her new role as Chief Executive of East Cheshire NHS Trust in early October.