Donal qualified from Galway Medical School in 1979. Having worked in hospitals in London and Bristol, he obtained the specialist qualification in General Medicine (MRCP) and a diploma in Elderly Care. He joined Redgate Medical Practice in Bridgwater in 1988, where he remains in General Practice, and has since obtained an MSc degree in Health Care from Exeter University.

Donal was appointed Professional Executive Committee (PEC) Chair in July 2007 and currently holds that appointment for NHS Somerset.  He is also the national Co-Vice Chair for the NHS Alliance and chaired the South West Long Term Conditions work stream of the NHS Next Stage Review in the South West. Donal developed the first GP supported Referral Management Service as well as developing a countywide universal musculoskeletal/orthopaedic interface service.

Somerset has a unified Practice Based Commissioning (PBC) group that is delivering innovative solutions to prevent unscheduled care admissions to hospitals.  Donal is a member of the Department of Health’s Reinvigorating PBC team.

Donal is currently involved in developing a radical vision of a wait free health care delivery system for all services.