Secretary of State Announces Preferred Candidate for Chair of CQC

Baroness Julia Neuberger DBE has been named as the government’s preferred candidate to be the next chair of the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

James Murray, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has invited Parliament’s Health and Social Care Committee to hold a pre-appointment scrutiny hearing with Baroness Neuberger.

Baroness Neuberger is an experienced healthcare leader and cross‑bench peer with a track record of contributing to national healthcare policy, regulation and organisational leadership.

She currently serves as chair of Whittington Health NHS Trust and as joint chair of University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Her terms of office in these roles are due to end in September 2026.
Earlier in her career, Baroness Neuberger was chief executive of the King’s Fund and before that she chaired the Camden and Islington Community NHS Trust. She has held leading roles in major national healthcare reviews, including of the Liverpool Care Pathway and the Mental Health Act.

Baroness Neuberger has held a wide range of advisory and trustee roles throughout her career. She is also a Rabbi Emerita at West London Synagogue, and a former Liberal Democrat peer, now sitting as an independent cross‑bencher in the House of Lords.

Following the resignation of the former CQC chair and the subsequent appointment of an interim chair in June, it is now important to appoint a new chair as soon as possible. For this reason, and following consultation with the Commissioner for Public Appointments, the government’s preferred candidate has not been selected following an open competition, due to the necessary further delays that would now result.

Following the select committee hearing, currently expected to be in early September, the committee said it will set out its views on Baroness Neuberger’s suitability for the role. The Secretary of State will then consider the committee’s report before making a final decision on the appointment.

Kay Boycott, a serving CQC non-executive director, will continue as interim chair until the new chair is appointed.

CQC has said it welcomes the announcement and will issue a full statement following the Committee’s pre-appointment hearing.