CQC’s Andrea Sutcliffe CBE, Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care, announces departure

Andrea Sutcliffe CBE, Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care at the Care Quality Commission (CQC), has announced she will be standing down at the end of the year.

Andrea is leaving to become Chief Executive and Registrar of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) in January 2019.

Andrea 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.

Story continues below

Advertisement

“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.”

Andrea has taken a lead in transforming the regulator’s approach to registering, monitoring, inspection and rating over 21,000 adult social care services across England.

She became renowned for her ‘Mum Test’, which meant focusing on what matters most to the people using care services.

She also took a lead in bringing together organisations and national bodies for the launch of the Quality matters’ initiative in 2017 (see CQC and partners launch Quality Matters commitment).

Her commitment to the sector was recognised with a CBE in the 2018 New Year’s Honours List (see Andrea Sutcliffe awarded CBE in New Year’s Honours List).

Ian Trenholm, Chief Executive of the Care Quality Commission, said: “I have enjoyed working with Andrea enormously. On a professional level her focus and insight make her an exceptionally valuable member of the Executive team, and on a personal level she has been incredibly welcoming to me in my new role as Chief Executive.

“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.  I’m very sorry she is leaving – but delighted that she is going to such an exciting and influential new role.”