The Homecare Association welcomes the appointment of Sir Julian Hartley as the new Chief Executive of the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Sir Julian has extensive experience in healthcare leadership and improving complex organisations. We hope Sir Julian will pay as much attention to social care as to the NHS.
CEO of the Homecare Association, Dr Jane Townson OBE, said:
"Sir Julian faces a monumental challenge in rebuilding trust and effectiveness at the CQC. Our recent report highlighted serious failings in regulation - 60% of homecare providers either have no rating or a rating which is 4-8 years out of date.
We consider the CQC's recent recovery plan to require improvement. While it includes some positive steps, such as appointing three new Chief Inspectors; reviewing the single assessment framework; increasing assessment frequency; and improving registration processes, it falls short in several critical areas.
The plan lacks concrete timelines, specific targets and accountable individuals. It also doesn't explain how it will fix the lack of expertise and training or the backlog of registration applications and inspections. The pilot programmes for provider relationship management and sector-specific operations teams are vague. The CQC needs to move faster given the urgency of the situation.
Sir Julian must create a more credible plan with measurable objectives. The CQC needs to take swift, decisive action to regain the confidence of providers and the public."
We call on Sir Julian to consider the recommendations we outlined in our report:
- Review CQC's resource needs, including the staff, skills, and systems required for effective regulation.
- Increase transparency in CQC's operational costs and performance metrics.
- Review the funding model to ensure it's fair and sustainable, potentially considering a risk-based approach to fees.
- Make genuine improvements in efficiency by recovering or replacing IT and data systems.
- Improve alignment between CQC and local authority practices to support care quality.
- Enhance engagement with providers, including reinstating named relationship managers.
- Implement regular review, adaptation, and contingency planning for CQC's regulatory approach.
We are ready to support Sir Julian and the CQC to work swiftly to create a regulatory system that protects the public and helps providers deliver excellent care.
[ENDS]
Contacts
Dr Jane Townson OBE, CEO, Homecare Association
Email - [email protected]
Mobile number - 07393 012 113
Notes to editors
- The Homecare Association is the UK’s membership body for homecare providers, with over 2,200 members nationally. Our mission is to ensure that homecare receives the investment it deserves, so all of us can live well at home and flourish within our communities. The Homecare Association acts as a trusted voice, taking a lead in shaping homecare, in collaboration with partners across the care sector. It also provides hands-on support and practical tools for its members. The Homecare Association's members agree to abide by the Association's Code of Practice.
