The UK’s Care Quality Commission (CQC) has named Andrea Sutcliffe as its first chief inspector of adult social care.
The new role is designed to lead CQC’s inspection and regulation of adult social care, and Sutcliffe will be responsible for developing a new approach to the way CQC regulates social care.
This follows a troubled period for the CQC, thanks to scandals such as the poor quality of care and high mortality rates at Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust.
Failings in secondary healthcare have also prompted a shake-up of the inspection process in UK hospitals, and Sutcliffe’s appointment follows that of Sir Mike Richards as the county’s first chief inspector of hospitals, or ‘the nation’s whistleblower-in-chief’ as the Department of Health described the post.
Sutcliffe will know the UK social care system well, having most recently served as chief executive of the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE), and in her new role she will oversee the development of a new rating system for social care providers and champion the interests of people using services.
“Andrea is the ideal person to lead the work on ensuring social care services provide people with safe, effective, compassionate high quality care,” said the CQC’s chief executive David Behan.
Sutcliffe had been in her role at the SCIE since April 2012 having joined from the Appointments Commission, where she also served as chief executive.
Other previous positions include seven years as an executive director at the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE).
“I am honoured and delighted to be appointed to this vital role” said Sutcliffe. “I am looking forward to working with everyone at CQC and across social care to help make a difference for people who are using services, their families and carers. Nothing is more important.”