Exclusive: Provider leader favourite to become CQC chief executive

NHS Providers chief executive Sir Julian Hartley is the frontrunner to become the next chief executive of the Care Quality Commission, HSJ  understands.

The former chief executive of Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust leads a three-strong shortlist.

HSJ understands one of the remaining two candidates is a serving NHS England director, while the other is a current trust chief executive. HSJ knows the identities of these candidates but has chosen not to name them as Sir Julian is seen as a strong favourite by those close to the process.

Interviews for the role are due to take place next Monday.

The recruitment process for a substantive CQC chief executive follows the regulator being admonished in a scathing interim report into its performance by North West London Integrated Care Board chair Penny Dash.

Former deputy CEO Kate Terroni is currently interim CEO of the regulator following the sudden departure of former boss Ian Trenholm in June.

Published in July, Ms Dash’s government-commissioned report criticised a “noticeable lack” of healthcare experience at senior level, with the current executive team largely drawn from the social care sector. Her report also warned the CQC’s credibility was being harmed by a loss of relationships between the regulator and NHS providers. 

Ms Dash’s final report is due to be published in mid October.

Sir Julian has previously said the CQC needs “urgent reform” and has spoken out about its use of single-word ratings for inspections.

He led Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust for 10 years from 2013. He is widely credited with turning around the performance of the then struggling acute. In June, he was revealed as the last decade’s most respected trust chief executive, following an analysis of the annual HSJ Top 50 chief executives ranking.

A CQC spokesman said “the successful candidate [for the post of CEO] will be announced in due course”.

Recovery roles

The troubled regulator is also recruiting for five new communications roles focused on promoting the organisation’s “recovery”, according to job advertisements published this month.

The advertisements suggest the regulator will be spending up to £230,000 in total on the positions.

The job descriptions state: “These roles will … [manage] delivery of a campaign to restore trust with the public and providers by listening better, working together more collaboratively and being honest about what we’ve got wrong.”