Former chief inspector set to chair safety watchdog

Professor Baker retired from the Care Quality Commission after five years earlier this year. If his appointment goes ahead, he will chair the Health Safety Investigation Branch when it becomes an independent body and is renamed the Health Services Safety Investigations Body in April 2023.

Health and social care secretary Steve Barclay has invited the Commons health and social care committee to hold a pre-appointment scrutiny hearing with Professor Baker. The committee will then report back on its views on his suitability for the role, for Mr Barclay to consider as he makes his final decision on the appointment. 

Professor Baker first joined the NHS in 1973, working in frontline clinical practice for 35 years. He went onto hold a series of senior positions, including medical director roles at Oxford University Hospitals Foundation Trust and Guy’s and St Thomas’ FT.

In the last five years, Professor Baker has led thematic reviews of how the NHS learns from safety events, and overseen the development of the CQC’s regulation of the hospitals sector during the covid-19 pandemic, including the introduction of “intelligence-driven” focused inspections for services such as urgent and emergency care.

Rosie Benneyworth, HSIB’s interim chief investigator and the CQC’s former chief inspector of primary care, said of his appointment: “I am delighted that Ted is our preferred candidate as chair of the HSSIB.

“I have been fortunate to work with Ted at the CQC and he has a wealth of experience particularly around patient safety. He always puts patients at the heart of his decision making so this is really positive news.”