The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has announced the immediate resignation of Chief Executive Sir Julian Hartley, with Dr Arun Chopra, Chief Inspector of Mental Health, stepping in as Interim Chief Executive until a permanent successor is appointed.
Sir Julian’s departure follows ongoing discussions about his previous role at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and comes less than a year after his appointment to the CQC. His resignation statement emphasised his wish to avoid impacting the CQC’s efforts to rebuild public confidence in the regulator.
While his time in post was short, Sir Julian brought renewed focus and energy to the CQC, launching a major consultation on how the organisation assesses and rates health and social care services. His leadership also saw the appointment of four new Chief Inspectors, strengthening CQC’s expertise across key care sectors, including adult social care.
However, for care providers like us, the continual changes within the CQC make compliance and inspection more challenging than ever. The evolving structure, leadership shifts, and ongoing reform of the inspection process mean that providers must work even harder to stay up to date with what’s expected, all while maintaining the high standards of care our clients rely on.
At Riverside we remain fully committed to meeting and exceeding CQC standards, even as the goalposts continue to move. Our focus has always been on delivering quality, person-centred care, ensuring our clients and their families can trust the service we provide.
We recognise that every change in regulation brings both challenges and opportunities. While the care sector awaits further clarity on the CQC’s leadership and inspection approach, we’ll continue to prioritise what matters most , safe, reliable, and compassionate care in our local community.
As always, we’ll keep our clients, families, and staff informed as the sector continues to adapt to these national developments.
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