CQC calls for national action to tackle system-wide issues in community mental health

Our 2023/24 Monitoring the Mental Health Act report, published this month, finds that many people with mental health needs are not getting the care they need.

Monitoring the Mental Health Act is our annual report on the use of the Mental Health Act (MHA). It looks at how providers are caring for patients, and whether patients’ rights are being protected.

As part of our monitoring activity in 2023/2024, we interviewed over 4,500 people who were detained under the Mental Health Act or ‘sectioned’, covering 870 wards. We also spoke with people’s relatives and people who had been previously detained. This year’s report once again raises the issue that a lack of staff, beds, and training, are leading to harmful gaps in care and treatment.

• Press release: People caught in ‘damaging cycle’ of re-admittance to mental health services due to a lack of suitable community support, CQC reports
• Report: Monitoring the Mental Health Act in 2023/24

Dr Arun Chopra appointed as Chief Inspector of Mental Health

Dr Arun Chopra has been appointed as our first Chief Inspector of Mental Health.

The creation of the new role recognises the crucial importance of mental health services in supporting people to lead fuller, healthier lives, and the need for specialist expertise in regulating these services.

Arun was previously Medical Director of the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland (2020-2024) and is one of the most recent recipients of the President’s Medal, awarded annually by the Royal College of Psychiatrists to individuals who have made a significant contribution towards improving the lives of people with mental illness.

He recently returned to frontline clinical work as a Consultant Inpatient Psychiatrist at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital.

Dr Chopra will take up his role at CQC in May.

• News: Dr Arun Chopra appointed as CQC’s first Chief Inspector of Mental Health

How we’re using your feedback to take action

We’ve published an update on the action we’re taking to help us be the strong, effective regulator that people who use and work in health and care services need and deserve.

To help us make sure we provide the public with up-to-date information about services, we are making some changes to:

• increase the number of assessments we carry out
• clear our backlog of registration applications
• allow us to act promptly on information of concern cases and notifications.

We’re focusing on several key areas that people who use services, providers, and other stakeholders have told us matter most.

To help us, we will continue to gather your thoughts and feedback on what we do, including on ratings characteristics, our provider handbook, our assessment framework and how we work together as part of our CQC Way.

Your views and experience are vital to help us build systems that work for all parts of the health and social care sector. We are committed to making this a genuine partnership that drives positive change across the sector.

• Taking action on your feedback

Join us! Work for CQC

CQC staff have a wide range of skills and work across many disciplines.

Find out about roles within CQC, Healthwatch England, MNSI and the Office of the National Guardian.

Current vacancies include:

• Mental Health Act Reviewers
• Specialist Advisor – Local Authority Assessments
• Paralegal Officer
• Inspectors
• Senior Researcher
• Second Opinion Appointed Doctors (SOADs)

Benefits include generous leave entitlement, NHS or Nest pension schemes and a wide range of employee discounts.

Most roles offer flexible locations with the choice to be home-based. See the individual job listings for more information.

• Browse our current vacancies
• Working at CQC

Sir Mike Richards announced as the preferred candidate for Chair

Wes Streeting, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has named Professor Sir Mike Richards CBE as his preferred candidate for the next Chair of CQC.

Sir Mike became our first Chief Inspector of Hospitals in July 2013, retiring in January 2017. In 2024, he was commissioned by our Board to look at the impact of the changes we made to our assessment approach following the publication of our 2021 strategy.

He has a clinical background as a consultant medical oncologist and spent over 20 years operating as a hospital physician in the NHS. In 1999 he was appointed as DHSC’s first National Cancer Director.

Subject to approval by the Health and Social Care Select Committee, Sir Mike will take over from the current Chair, Ian Dilks, once his appointment ends.

• News: Secretary of State announces preferred candidate for Chair of CQC
• GOV.UK: Professor Sir Mike Richards has been named as the government’s preferred candidate for chair of the Care Quality Commission (CQC)