The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has appointed its four 'deputy chief inspectors of hospitals', who will support the chief inspector of hospitals, Professor Sir Mike Richards, in championing the interests of patients and ensuring that health services are safe, effective, caring, well-led and responsive to people’s needs.
The deputy chief inspectors will lead multidisciplinary teams that carry out scheduled and responsive inspections across acute, community health, mental health and ambulance services in England. CQC’s deputy chief inspectors of hospitals are:
Ellen Armistead – currently chief executive of Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust and a qualified nurse.
Professor Edward Baker – currently medical director and deputy chief executive of Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust.
Dr Andrea Gordon – currently regional director (Central Region) at CQC.
Dr Paul Lelliott – former consultant psychiatrist at Oxleas NHS Foundation and director of the Royal College of Psychiatrists' Centre for Quality Improvement. Dr Lelliott will have a particular responsibility for CQC’s regulatory activities across mental health services.
Professor Sir Mike Richards, CQC’s chief inspector of hospitals said: “I am delighted to have appointed the deputy chief inspectors of hospitals, who will support me in leading the monitoring, inspection and regulation of health services across England. They each bring with them a wealth of experience across regulation, leadership and frontline practice.
“The deputy chief inspectors will share responsibility for assessing and judging how well providers put the quality of care at the heart of everything that they do and ensuring that the interests of those who use their services are protected. Each deputy chief inspector will lead multidisciplinary inspection teams, including clinicians and trained members of the public. They will provide assurance that health services are meeting the fundamental standards of safety and quality and will take action against those that are not. With the new approach to hospital inspection in full swing, I am look forward to working with the deputy chief inspectors in their new roles.”
