The Secretary of State for Health (Mr Andrew Lansley)
I wish to inform the House that the Department is today publishing the report of its performance and capability review of the Care Quality Commission (CQC). The review is intended to provide robust assurance to the public, the Department and Parliament that CQC is improving its performance and that action will be taken to build and sustain its capability for the future.
The review ran from October 2011 to February 2012, and was led by a panel of senior departmental officials and external reviewers, chaired by the permanent secretary. The review gathered evidence from a range of external stakeholders and CQC staff. It also considered findings of the recent reports from the Health Select Committee and the National Audit Office.
The review sets out recommendations to challenge CQC and support its continuing improvement by providing clearer strategic direction, strengthening the CQC board and developing and delivering the underlying regulatory model. These recommendations will be important to ensure that CQC builds and sustains its capability for the future. The review also recognises that the Department has more to do as a sponsor and work is under way to strengthen accountability arrangements across all the Department’s arm’s length bodies.
I have today placed in the Library copies of a letters exchanged between the permanent secretary of the Department and the chair and chief executive of the CQC, together with a copy of “Performance and Capability Review: Care Quality Commission”. Copies are available to hon. Members from the Vote office and to noble Lords from the Printed Paper Office.