CQC appoints Prof Bola Owolabi as Chief Inspector of Primary and Community Services

Professor Bola Owolabi (MRCGP, MFPH Hon, FRSPH) has been appointed as the Care Quality Commission’s (CQC’s) new Chief Inspector of Primary and Community Services.

Professor Owolabi will be joining CQC from NHS England where she is currently Director of the National Healthcare Inequalities Improvement Programme.

At NHS England, Professor Owolabi spearheaded the Core20PLUS5 approach – a quality improvement strategy to reduce healthcare inequalities at a national and system level. She also led on the Anticipatory Care workstream of the National Ageing Well Programme while National Speciality Advisor for Older People and Integrated Person-Centred Care at NHS England.

As Chief Inspector of Primary and Community Services, Professor Owolabi will lead on CQC’s regulation of some of the most frequently used parts of the health and care system – including general practice and dentistry.

Her appointment is the second of 4 CQC Chief Inspector roles that will lead on regulation and improvement across mental health, hospitals, primary and community care, and adult social care and integrated care – marking a realignment of the organisation around sector expertise.