Another One Bites the Dust at CQC
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- Published: Thursday, 23 October 2025 14:04
- Written by News Editor
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Sir Julian Hartley has resigned with immediate effect as Chief Executive of the CQC. This is due to his links with Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, which is the subject of an independent inquiry into maternity and neonatal services. He had only taken over at the CQC in January 2025, and was intended to represent a fresh start there. His departure after less than 12 months is another blow to the troubled regulator.
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.”
He added, “‘I am hugely proud of what has been achieved since I joined CQC at the end of last year and of the progress we have made in reshaping our culture to become an organisation that listens better to people, to providers and to our own staff – and acts on what we hear. I leave grateful for the part I was able to play and confident that the better approach being built will be owned, and informed, by colleagues, providers and stakeholders with a shared vision.”
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.”
In the meantime, Dr Arun Chopra, Chief Inspector of Mental Health, is planned to assume the role of Interim CQC Chief Executive until a permanent successor is appointed.
Readers may have a sense of déjà vu as they recall that in the closing months of 2024 GDPUK ran stories about the chaos at the top of the CQC (GDPUK #451 and #473 ) as senior executives left at short notice, and the organisations number two decided that it was time to go rather than apply for the top job. This turbulence followed the damning Dash report into the CQC.
The report had led to Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting’s damning comment that: “Dr Penny Dash’s interim report highlighted serious failings in the regulator, forcing me to conclude it is no longer fit for purpose.”
Amongst other conclusions the report in June 2024, had warned that the CQC’s credibility was being harmed by a loss of relationships between the regulator and regulated providers, particularly in the NHS.
Sir Julian’s predecessor, CQC CEO Ian Trenholm, made an abrupt exit in June 2024, with the announcement made only days before his actual departure. A CQC staff survey earlier in 2024 had found just 27% of employees felt the “values and behaviours” of the Chief Executive and Executive Team matched those of the organisation. Sir Julian’s appointment as his replacement was announced in October 2024.
Then in December 2024 CQC Chair Ian Dilks announced that he would not be looking to continue in his post with the usual second term. There was a stream of other executive and non-executive departures from the CQC board including executive director of operations Tyson Hepple, while chief data and digital officer Mark Sutton had gone earlier in the year. Non-executive director Ali Hasan left, with Belinda Black following in January 2025.
At the time of Sir Julian Hartley’s appointment the HSJ quoted an internal CQC announcement by Wes Streeting: “Sir Julian’s experience of turning round large, complex health organisations will be vital as CQC seeks to urgently improve and win back public trust.” This was referring in part to his time at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, the very institution whose failings are now the reason for his abrupt departure from the CQC.
Back in October 2024, commenting on the problems at the CQC, Wes Streeting had added: “But I was determined to see action taken now to begin to turn CQC around. I’m confident that Julian will provide the leadership CQC staff need to address this crisis, improve patient safety, and restore confidence in the regulator.”
According to the CQC website announcement, recruitment for Sir Julian’s successor will begin shortly.
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