The MDU in action

In May 2024, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) asked Dr Penny Dash to lead a review of the CQC. In her final report, released in October, Dr Dash found “significant failings” which had resulted in a deterioration of the CQC’s ability to identify poor performance and improve quality within the sector. The Dash review also identified the “urgent need for a rapid turnaround” in order to restore the CQC’s credibility.

To have a major review conclude that their internal workings were failing prompted a major loss of confidence in the CQC within the health and social care sectors. Given this, it is unsurprising that swift action was taken. In December 2024, Sir Julian Hartley, previously Chief Executive of NHS Providers, was announced as the new Chief Executive of the CQC.

However, the CQC still has significant work to do, and they remain under intense scrutiny.

During Oral Parliamentary Questions on 7th January 2025, Karin Smyth, a Minister in DHSC, stated that “the CQC is not fit for purpose and requires significant reform”. Barely a week later, Sir Julian and Ian Dilks, the outgoing Chair of the CQC, appeared before the Health and Social Care Committee. During this meeting, Ian Dilks conceded that “the CQC has not done what it should have been doing over a period of time”.

This had already become clear to MDU Insurance Solutions, with feedback from brokers and providers indicating significant delays in registering new clients.

These delays are unsustainable for both providers and patients, and we continue to raise this issue within Westminster. The day before the Committee met with Sir Julian and Ian Dilks, we were delighted to have a Written Parliamentary Question raised, querying DHSC’s assessment of the adequacy of registration timeframes for new healthcare providers registering with the CQC. The official response, provided by Andrew Gwynne, a Minister in DHSC, confirmed that the Department was aware of the delays and had taken steps to increase its oversight of the CQC and ensure the backlog of applications over 10 weeks old is reduced. This has helped provide a degree of clarity for the insurance sector about the action being taken to address these concerns.

This issue was also raised in the Committee by both Government and Opposition MPs, resulting in the CQC having to go on record to admit the issues in this area and outline what steps they are taking. This is a matter of significant cross-party concern, and MDU Insurance Solutions is at the forefront of highlighting it to MPs.

Added to this is the pressure of another review. Wes Streeting has confirmed in a Written Statement to Parliament that Dr Dash will lead a further review into patient safety across the wider health and care landscape in England, due to be published in early 2025.

This could profoundly impact the future of the CQC and other organisations included in the review, namely the National Guardian’s Office; Healthwatch England and Local Healthwatch; the Health Services Safety Investigation Body; the Patient Safety Commissioner and NHS Resolution.

We will be paying close attention as the findings of this review could fundamentally alter the healthcare regulatory landscape. It could lead to some of the above organisations being merged, with powers and duties reassigned. It may even result in changes in the law, given one of the aspects of the review will be to “set out legislative inconsistencies and overlaps”.

For those purchasing insurance, these changes could be seismic. MDUIS will ensure that it is at the forefront of this process, working with parliamentarians to ensure that this issue is maintained high on the Government’s agenda and providing certainty for the sector.