Former CQC chief joins care home provider HC-One

Sir David Behan, who recently stepped down as head of the Care Quality Commission which inspects care homes in England, has joined one of the biggest care providers, HC-One, as a non-executive director.

Sir David headed up the care regulator for six years and has spent 40 years working in health and social care. Jeremy Hunt, who was health and social care minister when Sir David announced his resignation, called him “an exceptional leader”.

Martin Green, chief executive of Care England, referred to him as a "very fair and principled man who will be missed by the sector". Sir David was awarded a knighthood for services to health and care in the 2017 New Year's Honours list and was presented with a City and Guilds fellowship in October 2016.

HC-One said that in his new role ‘David will be working with the board to ensure that the company continues to maintain and develop its strong quality record, provide the kindest care to its residents, and build on HC-One’s existing work to develop industry-leading career opportunities for its staff’.

Sir David said: “I have been impressed by HC-One’s commitment to ensuring their residents are safe, happy and well cared for and that their staff are well supported and trained. I am very much looking forward to working with the HC-One Board to maintain and develop safe, kind, high quality care.”

HC-One chairman Dr Chai Patel added that Sir David “brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the company that will benefit residents, relatives and staff, and help us to continue providing the kindest care in the communities we serve”.

The appointment will strengthen the strategic leadership at HC-One, “enabling us to build upon our industry-leading performance,” according to its chief executive Justin Hutchens.

Sir David was previously the director general of Social Care, Local Government and Care Partnerships at the Department of Health; president of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, and the first chief inspector of the Commission for Social Care Inspection.

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