Professor Sir Mike Richards was appointed the Chair of CQC in March 2025.
Mike was an academic cancer physician specialising largely in breast cancer before being appointed as England’s first National Cancer Director in 1999. After 13 years in that role he was appointed as the first Chief Inspector of Hospitals at the Care Quality Commission, where he led the development and implementation of a new approach to inspecting, rating and regulating hospitals, mental health, community and ambulance services.
Since retiring in 2017 he has led reviews of screening and diagnostic services in the NHS on behalf of government and NHS England, and has subsequently advised NHS England on its implementation, including the establishment of around 170 community diagnostic centres. He chairs the UK National Screening Committee, which advises all four countries on screening programmes for cancer and other conditions. He also chairs a commission on palliative and end of life care.
In autumn 2024 he conducted a review of the Single Assessment Framework and its implementation for CQC. He is now delighted to have been appointed as chair of CQC.
If he has any spare time, he enjoys hill walking in the Yorkshire Dales and Scotland.
Declaration of interests
UK National Screening Committee (DHSC)
Chair
NHS England
Adviser on diagnostic services
Commission on End of Life Palliative Care
Chair
Incisive Health
Senior Counsel
