MPs have confirmed the appointment of Ian Dilks as the new chairman of the Care Quality Commission (CQC) following his appearance before the health and social care committee.
Dilks is a former chair of NHS Resolution and a former chair of PricewaterhouseCooper’s Global Captive Insurance Group.
Facing the Health and Social Care Committee, Dilks (pictured) was asked questions on a range of areas such as challenges facing the CQC, including inspections suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic and reports of ethnic minority-led GP practices being disadvantaged by the regulator’s inspection methodology.
Dilks was also asked how the CQC will establish a ratings system for ICSs (integrated care systems) that would ensure good outcomes for patients and users was also addressed.
The decision to endorse his appointment was not unanimous among committee members.
“Ian Dilks brings valuable experience to the role of CQC chair from his prior work in the NHS. However, he was honest about not having knowledge of the social care sector, a vital element of the CQC’s work,” said health and social care committee chair Jeremy Hunt.
“We have registered our concerns about the lack of the diversity of candidates progressing through the appointments process and have urged the Department for Health and Social Care to redouble its efforts in this area,” he added.
