Editorial Thursday 23 February 2012: On Cynthia Bower quitting the CQC

The DH publishes its capability assessment of the Care Quality Commission and to the considerable surprise of absolutely nobody, Cynthia Bower resigns.

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In truth, it was somewhat gobsmacking that Ms Bower survived the damning health select committee report and NAO report last autumn.

You would have searched far and wide to find a bookmaker who would give you decent odds on her remaining in place beyond the forthcoming publication of the Francis Public Inquiry's report into Mid-Staffs.

The re-opening of evidence to the inquiry last November was also pretty bad news.

We don't have all of the story here, and perhaps we never will get it. Nye Bevan's infamous quote "this is my truth: tell me yours" comes to mind.

Whatever Ms Bower's culpability for the regulator's underperformance, it would not be unknown for the NHS now to dump problems at her door that are not her fault.

Regulation hasn't got the greatest reputation in healthcare. It is, I suppose a tool you need somewhere. The hope must be that the NHS Atlas of Variation and PROMs data will start to do their bit, as well as online resources such as Patient Opinion making it easier for patients to have their say.

And of course, the staff of the NHS must do theirs, to speak up when care is unsafe or inept. Which is why the poor performance over whistleblowing at Winterborne View was so disturbing.