David Prior has stepped down from his position as CQC’s chair to be appointed to the position of Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Health. The appointment will take effect immediately and CQC board member Michael Mire will step in to chair the CQC board meeting next week until a new replacement is found. This is the latest Department of Health appointment to be made to David Cameron’s new all-Conservative government.
Commenting on his appointment, David Prior has said “I am enormously excited about this new appointment. However it is a bitter-sweet moment for me because I have loved working at CQC for the last two and a half years…I believe that the new regulatory model we have developed will not just identify poor care, but also stimulate and encourage services to improve.”
CQC’s Chief Executive, David Behan has stated “David’s experience and insight will be a fantastic addition to the ministerial team. The news of his appointment is, however, tinged with sadness as it means that we will be losing a fantastic chair, whose direction and challenge has helped CQC to make huge strides in delivering real benefits for people who use services.”
