Chief Inspector Of Social Care Announces CQC Departure

The chief inspector of adult social care at the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has announced she is to step down from her role at the end of the year.

After five years at the regulator, Andrea Sutcliffe is joining the Nursing and Midwifery Council as chief executive and registrar in January 2019.

Ms Sutcliffe CBE said: “I am very sad to be leaving CQC after five challenging but very rewarding years. It has been a great privilege to be the first Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care and I would like to thank everyone for their support.

“Working with colleagues across the organisation, past and present, and in coproduction with the public, providers and our partners we have achieved a great deal in the last five years. There will always be more to do, but I know that the strong team I work with will continue to drive improvement for people who use services, and I am confident that with Ian and Peter at the helm the CQC will continue to go from strength to strength.”

A CQC spokesperson confirmed that the recruitment process to replace Ms Sutcliffe would begin shortly.

CQC chief executive Ian Trenholm said he was “very sorry” to see Ms Sutcliffe leave but “delighted” she was leaving for “such an exciting and influential new role”.

“Her commitment to ensuring the voice of people who use services is heard has been instrumental in driving improvements in care and she has helped to push the challenges faced by the sector into the public consciousness,” he said.