CQC welcomes new Board members

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has announced the appointments of Robert Francis QC and Paul Rew as Non-Executive Directors.

Robert Francis QC’s two reports into the catastrophic failure of care at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, published in 2010 and 2013, are changing the culture of the NHS and will leave a lasting legacy on the quality of patient care. Robert is a barrister who continues to practice in the field of medical law, in which he has specialised for many years. He has been a Queen’s Counsel for over twenty years and is also honorary President of the Patients Association and a trustee of the Point of Care Foundation and the Prostate Cancer Research Centre.

Speaking of his appointment, he said: "The CQC has a vital contribution to make towards people getting safe, compassionate and effective care. I am pleased to see that many of the recommendations I made in my reports on Mid Staffordshire for cultural change in the healthcare system and the CQC itself are being adopted.

"I hope to make a positive contribution to the work of CQC, supporting its current direction of travel and representing its work and its continuing development as a role model of transparency and openness."

Paul Rew is an experienced non-executive director in both the private and public sectors; he is currently non-executive director and chair of the Audit and Risk Committee, at the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, The Met Office, Northumbrian Water and he is a member of the advisory board of Exeter University Business School. As part of his non-executive role, Paul will chair CQC’s Audit and Corporate Governance Committee.

Both appointments have been made by the Secretary of State for Health and the terms of office are three years. Robert and Paul replace Steve Hitchins and John Harwood, who stood down from CQC’s Board in December 2013 and March 2014 respectively.