Will “The CQC Way” transform health and social care regulation?

Dr Richard Dune

03-08-2025

Will “The CQC Way” transform health and social care regulation?

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A new vision for CQC: Can Sir Julian Hartley restore confidence?

The appointment of Sir Julian Hartley as Chief Executive of the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in December 2024 marked a critical turning point for health and social care regulation. With his extensive background in NHS leadership, workforce transformation, and governance reform, Sir Julian brings a fresh approach to an organisation that has faced mounting criticism over delays, inefficiencies, and a crisis of trust.

Having previously led NHS Providers (2023-2024) and Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (2013-2023), he is well-versed in transforming complex systems. His work on the NHS People Plan (2019) highlights his strong commitment to workforce engagement, leadership, and regulatory improvement. Now, as head of the CQC, he introduces "The CQC Way," an ambitious strategy aimed at restoring credibility, improving transparency, and strengthening collaboration in regulation.

But will "The CQC Way" deliver real change, or will it become yet another unfulfilled regulatory promise? And how will it impact health and social care providers already grappling with workforce shortages, financial pressures, and rising demand?

What is “The CQC Way”?

Announced on 24 February 2025, "The CQC Way" is a new framework designed to tackle the CQC’s long-standing issues and redefine its purpose. The initiative focuses on restoring confidence, improving operational efficiency, and making regulatory processes more transparent and collaborative.

Key pillars of “The CQC Way”

These are the key pillars of “The CQC Way”:

1. A clearer purpose

CQC’s renewed mission is to ensure safe, effective, and high-quality care while fostering continuous improvement across the sector.

2. Strategic priorities

The initiative aims to:

Clear backlogs in inspections and registration delays
Update outdated provider ratings to reflect real-time performance
Refocus long-term regulatory priorities in line with sector challenges.

3. Cultural and behavioural change

A shift towards openness, engagement, and transparency in regulatory assessments.

4. Co-design with stakeholders

Thousands of health and social care professionals, providers, and public representatives are being consulted to reshape CQC’s inspection, ratings, and governance approach.

But will this strategy be enough to resolve the deep-rooted challenges in health and social care regulation?

Immediate actions - Fixing CQC’s long-standing issues

Sir Julian has acknowledged CQC’s operational failures and committed to urgent reforms in four critical areas:

Clearing the backlog - Overdue assessment reports will be published to give providers and the public up-to-date ratings.
Increasing inspection volumes - CQC will accelerate assessments to provide more timely, fair, and transparent evaluations.
Improving registration processes - Streamlining service registrations to ease capacity pressures in care delivery.
Strengthening responsiveness - Acting swiftly on concerns, whistleblowing, and serious incident notifications.

These changes are designed to reduce uncertainty for organisations and improve the accountability of the regulatory process.

What does this mean for health and social care providers?

While these reforms sound promising, many providers remain sceptical. With staffing shortages, financial challenges, and increased regulatory demands, there is concern that these changes could either improve or complicate compliance.

Key challenges providers may face

Regaining trust in regulation - Providers have long called for fair, consistent, and timely assessments. Can the CQC now deliver on its promises?
Stronger focus on leadership and workforce engagement - Given Sir Julian’s background, "Well-Led" assessments may become even more influential in overall ratings, requiring providers to prioritise staff well-being, training, and governance structures.
Navigating a changing regulatory landscape - The government’s focus on health and social care workforce retention, reducing bureaucracy, and service integration will likely reshape the CQC’s role in holding providers accountable.

Many in the sector welcome the intent behind "The CQC Way" but question whether systemic inertia within the CQC itself will prevent meaningful progress.

A regulatory reset in a changing political landscape

The timing of these reforms is significant. Amanda Pritchard’s recent resignation as CEO of NHS England has raised questions about the stability of NHS leadership and the impact of political pressures on regulation.

With NHS England in transition, can CQC become a stabilising force?
Will "The CQC Way" align with broader government reforms in social care, workforce development, and funding?
Will CQC remain a regulatory body struggling to keep pace with the challenges of modern health and social care?

Sir Julian’s vision hinges on execution; without operational change and political support, these reforms risk becoming another set of unfulfilled ambitions.

Will "The CQC Way" deliver real change?

For health and social care providers, the next 12 months will be critical in assessing whether CQC’s promises translate into real action. Key questions remain:

Will inspections and ratings finally reflect real-time quality standards?
Will providers experience fairer, more constructive regulatory oversight?
Will the government’s broader health and social care agenda impact how CQC enforces compliance?

While "The CQC Way" signals a necessary shift, the true test lies in its implementation. Will this be the start of a fairer, more transparent CQC, or will providers continue to struggle with bureaucratic hurdles and inconsistent enforcement?

The coming months will provide clarity on whether this is a genuine regulatory transformation or simply a new slogan for old problems.

How ComplyPlus™ helps providers navigate CQC compliance

At The Mandatory Training Group, we understand the challenges providers face in meeting evolving CQC requirements. Through ComplyPlus™, we support organisations in ensuring regulatory compliance, workforce development, and operational efficiency.

Key features of ComplyPlus™

CQC-aligned policies and procedures - Fully editable templates designed to meet CQC compliance requirements.
Automated compliance tracking - Real-time monitoring of regulatory changes, workforce training, and policy updates.
Customised learning management system (LMS) - Delivering statutory and mandatory training to keep staff CQC-compliant.
Live compliance dashboards - Audit-ready reports and risk assessments to ensure continuous improvement.

Find out how ComplyPlus™ can help your organisation stay ahead of regulatory changes: Learn More Here

Final thoughts - The future of CQC regulation

Will "The CQC Way" lead to a fairer, more effective regulatory system? How will these changes impact compliance, workforce management, and service ratings? Are health and social care providers ready for a new era of regulation?

As CQC invites further engagement, now is the time for providers, professionals, and stakeholders to contribute to shaping the future of regulation. Ensuring compliance and high-quality care will require collaboration, innovation, and ongoing dialogue within the sector.

How do you see "The CQC Way" impacting health and social care? Will it lead to a fairer, more effective regulatory system, or is deeper reform still needed?

About the author

Dr Richard Dune

With over 25 years of experience, Dr Richard Dune has a rich background in the NHS, the private sector, academia, and research settings. His forte lies in clinical R&D, advancing healthcare tech, workforce development, and governance. His leadership ensures that regulatory compliance and innovation align seamlessly.