CQC appoints Deputy Chief Inspectors of Hospitals

15 January 2014

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has appointed its four Deputy Chief Inspectors of Hospitals, who will support the Chief Inspector of Hospitals, Professor Sir Mike Richards in championing the interests of patients and ensuring that health services are safe, effective, caring, well-led and responsive to people’s needs.

The Deputy Chief Inspectors will lead multidisciplinary teams that carry out scheduled and responsive inspections across acute, community health, mental health and ambulance services in England.

CQC’s Deputy Chief Inspectors of Hospitals are:

• Ellen Armistead – currently Chief Executive of Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust and a qualified nurse
• Professor Edward Baker – currently Medical Director and Deputy Chief Executive of Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust
• Dr Andrea Gordon – currently Regional Director (Central Region) at CQC
• Dr Paul Lelliott – former consultant psychiatrist at Oxleas NHS Foundation and Director of the Royal College of Psychiatrists' Centre for Quality Improvement. Dr Lelliott will have a particular responsibility for CQC’s regulatory activities across mental health services.

Professor Sir Mike Richards, CQC’s Chief Inspector of Hospitals said: “I am delighted to have appointed the Deputy Chief Inspectors of Hospitals, who will support me in leading the monitoring, inspection and regulation of health services across England. They each bring with them a wealth of experience across regulation, leadership and frontline practice.

“The Deputy Chief Inspectors will share responsibility for assessing and judging how well providers put the quality of care at the heart of everything that they do and ensuring that the interests of those who use their services are protected. Each Deputy Chief Inspector will lead multidisciplinary inspection teams, including clinicians and trained members of the public. They will provide assurance that health services are meeting the fundamental standards of safety and quality and will take action against those that are not. With the new approach to hospital inspection in full swing, I am look forward to working with the Deputy Chief Inspectors in their new roles.”

David Behan, CQC’s Chief Executive said: “This completes a strong senior team under the leadership of Professor Sir Mike Richards. Each one of them brings a track record of professional and clinical leadership to their new roles. These are exciting appointments.”

Dr Paul Lelliot will take up his position next week. The start dates for the other Deputy Chief Inspectors of Hospitals are to be confirmed.

Ends

For media enquiries, please contact the CQC press office on 020 7448 9401 / media.team@cqc.org.uk during office hours or out of hours on 07917 232 143.

For general enquiries, please call 03000 61 61 61.

Notes to editors

Ellen Armistead

Currently Ellen Armistead is Chief Executive of Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust. Having previously worked in the acute sector, the last seven years of Ms Armistead’s career have focussed on community health. Her community services include community nursing and therapy services, primary care, urgent care centres, community hospitals, sexual health, and smoking cessation as well as children and family services.  Also, Ms Armistead brings her professional experience from her background in nursing. She has worked for the CQC as a specialist advisor.

Professor Edward Baker

Currently, Professor Edward Baker is Medical Director and Deputy Chief Executive of Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust. Professor Baker has led significant operational change at both Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust, where he focussed on building bridges between clinicians and Oxford University’s Academic Health Sciences Centre. Also, last September, Professor Baker chaired the team of inspectors for one of CQC’s first inspections using its new acute inspection model, at Croydon Health Services NHS Trust.

Dr Andrea Gordon

Currently Dr Andrea Gordon is CQC’s Regional Director (Central Region). Dr Gordon is also a podiatrist and held a senior managerial position at the Healthcare Commission, before joining the Care Quality Commission in 2009.

Dr Paul Lelliott

Dr Paul Lelliott is a former consultant psychiatrist at Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust. Previously, Dr Lelliott was the quality lead at the Royal College of Psychiatry and Chief Executive of the Health Advisory Service (an early inspectorial service in mental health).

For further information about CQC’s new approach to hospital inspection and the NHS Trusts that have been inspected so far, please visit Our new hospital inspection.