New chair of Care Quality Commission David Prior says 'no room for complacency'

David Prior has been selected as the new chair of the Care Quality Commission.

Mr Prior, who is currently chairman of the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “I am delighted to have been appointed chairman of the Care Quality Commission (CQC). It is the only job that could have persuaded me to leave the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.

“People who are ill or not able to live independently should be able to expect high quality care.”

He added that where there is benign or, worse, malign neglect “there must be zero tolerance”.

“I am a believer in the NHS but not a reflex defender of the NHS. Those who provide care out of hospital, in care homes or in people’s own homes, should also be held to account where standards are not good enough,” he said.

“CQC must be an intelligent, risk driven, consistent and transparent regulator of care standards. It will be driven by common sense and judgement not box ticking and form filling. It will be concerned both with the quality of hands on clinical practice and with the culture, governance, openness and sustainability of the organisations that provide care.

“The organisations that CQC regulate must demonstrate that the systemic failure of care that occurred at Stafford Hospital and Winterbourne View does not, will not and could not happen here. The ultimate test for all those involved directly or indirectly in delivering care is: ‘would I be happy for myself or my loved ones to be cared for here?’”

He also called for “crystal clear organisational clarity and said: “We must continuously improve care standards; there is no place for complacency. I am looking forward to it.”

CQC chief executive David Behan said that he looked forward to working closely with David Prior to ensure the CQC’s success in driving improvement across social care and health.

He added: “The next phase of the CQC's development is vital to delivering success in protecting and promoting the health, safety and welfare of people who use health and care services. Guided by the findings from our Strategic Review, David Prior will play a pivotal role in chairing the board and working with stakeholders.”

“David’s experience within the NHS, as chairman of Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals Foundation Trust, as well as his wider governance and industry experience will prove vital in meeting the important regulatory challenges ahead.”

Mr Prior is taking over from Dame Jo Williams, who held the post for nearly three years. During her time, as chair, Dame Jo saw many important developments and controversies. The Winterbourne View scandal was perhaps the most notable of these, which led to an apology from the regulator for failure to respond to whistleblower reports of the ill-treatment of residents with learning disabilities – revealed by a Panorama documentary.

The CQC also undertook the re-registering of all care services under Dame Jo and removed the star ratings system from care homes, which has yet to be replaced with an alternative.

Mr Prior is a former Conservative Party politician. He served as MP for North Norfolk from 1997 until the 2001 general election, when he lost his seat to Norman Lamb of the Liberal Democrats.

He will take up his role as CQC chair on 28 January 2013.