News from the Care Quality Commission: October 2025
Have your say on how we assess and rate services.
care quality commission

The independent regulator of health and social care in England

Newsletter

Our monthly update for everyone interested in health and social care

A member of CQC staff visiting a provider

Join us! Work for CQC

CQC staff have a wide range of skills and work across many disciplines.

Current vacancies include:

  • Public Inquiries Manager
  • Customer Contact Advisors
  • Director of Primary Care & Community Services
  • Medicines Inspector - South
  • Deputy Director of Assurance & Risk
  • Senior Data Engineer

Benefits include generous leave entitlement, NHS or Nest pension schemes and a wide range of employee discounts.

Most roles offer flexible locations with the choice to be home-based. See the individual job listings for more information.

 

Share your views

Have your say on how we assess and rate health and care services

The consultation on our proposals to improve how we assess health and care services, make judgements, and award ratings is now open.

We want to hear views from everyone - providers, professionals, partner organisations, people who use services, and members of the public - about the changes we're proposing to improve.

The consultation builds on our roadshows, workshops, meetings and other events with a wide range of stakeholders held over the past few months. These events have given us valuable early insights that have helped shape and co-design the proposals we are now putting forward.

Our proposed changes aim to address the concerns raised in external reviews of our current ways of working from Dr Penny Dash, Professor Sir Mike Richards, and the Care Provider Alliance. The changes aim to create a clearer, simpler, and more trusted framework, built through engagement, collaboration, and co‑design with those who deliver and use services.

The consultation closes at 5pm on 11 December.

 

Sir Julian Hartley

Sir Julian Hartley steps down as Chief Executive

Sir Julian Hartley has stepped down as Chief Executive of CQC, with Dr Arun Chopra, Chief Inspector of Mental Health taking the role of Interim Chief Executive until a permanent successor is appointed.

Announcing his resignation, Sir Julian said:

"This has been an incredibly difficult decision. However, I feel that my current role as Chief Executive of CQC has become incompatible with the important conversations happening about care at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, including during the time I was Chief Executive there. I am so sorry for the fact that some families suffered harm and loss during this time.

"I will be giving whatever support I can to the inquiry into maternity services at Leeds, so families get the transparency and answers that they need and deserve – and I want to avoid my connection with the Trust impacting on CQC’s work to rebuild people’s confidence in the regulator."

Professor Sir Mike Richards, Chair of CQC, said:

"While Sir Julian’s departure will be a huge loss to CQC, I understand his concerns that his previous role at Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust may undermine trust and confidence in CQC’s regulation. I am grateful to him for making this unselfish decision in recognition of the need for the regulator to be visibly held to the highest standards.

"He leaves the organisation in a stronger position than when he joined it but his inclusive and thoughtful leadership style will be much missed, not only by his colleagues but by those he worked with right across health and social care."

Recruitment for Sir Julian’s successor will begin shortly.

 

Map of England

New local authority assessments published

We publish reports that look at how local authorities are meeting their responsibilities to make sure people have access to adult social care and support.

Recent reports look at:

Each report looks at 9 areas spread across 4 themes to check how well each authority is meeting its responsibilities. Areas are given a score out of 1 to 4. A score of 1 is given when evidence shows significant shortfalls for this area, and 4 when evidence shows an exceptional standard is being met.

 

Frimley Park Hospital nurses

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