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CQC chief quits after ‘intensely challenging experience’

Published on: 22 Oct 2024
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Kate Terroni, current interim chief executive of the Care Quality Commission is leaving the embattled regulator, it has announced.

HSJ understands Ms Terroni, who took over from Ian Trenholm when he left the CQC suddenly in June, had been off on sick leave for several weeks before new CEO Sir Julian Hartley was announced.

Now she has revealed she will be leaving CQC altogether, and said in an official statement that she had “decided not to apply for the permanent chief executive role”.

Interim adult social care chief inspector James Bullion has been acting interim CEO during Ms Terroni’s recent leave, and will continue in this role until Sir Julian takes over as CQC’s permanent chief executive.

She said: “At the beginning of September, I informed the chair [Ian Dilks] of my decision to not apply for the permanent chief executive role, as I recognised the need for fresh leadership to take us forward.

“It has been a huge privilege to act as interim chief executive, but it has also been an intensely challenging experience, and I needed to take some time away to absorb the impact it has had on me.”

She added: “I wish Julian all the best as he takes on this very special job. He is a well-respected and experienced leader within the health and social care sector, and I know that under his leadership and with the support of you all, CQC will make the necessary improvements to get back on track.”

Ms Terroni joined the CQC in May 2019 as chief inspector for adult social care, and became deputy chief executive under Mr Trenholm’s leadership.

Her departure comes after the publication of two highly critical government-commissioned reports into the CQC by North West London Integrated Care Board chair Penny Dash.

Health and social care secretary Wes Streeting declared the regulator “not fit for purpose” following the reviews.

Last week also saw the CQC’s first ever chief inspector Sir Mike Richards call for a “fundamental reset” of the organisation, akin to the previous “reset” which took place in the aftermath of the Mid Staffs public inquiry report.

Of Ms Terroni’s departure, Mr Dilks said: “I want to thank Kate for her enormous contribution to CQC, as chief inspector of adult social care, as deputy chief executive and most recently as interim chief executive.

“She took up this last role at a particularly challenging time for the organisation. Her openness in acknowledging that we needed radical improvement – and the plans she started to put in place to make this happen – helped lay foundations for the work we have ahead of us to respond to the Dash review and Sir Mike Richards’ report and to rebuild trust with the public, providers and our staff.

He added: “I wish Kate every success for her future career and look forward to seeing what she achieves next.”