The future of adult social care regulation

Chris joined the Care Quality Commission (CQC) as Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care and Integrated Care in September 2025. He joined from Hertfordshire County Council where he was Director of Adult Care Services.   Chris has spent 15 years working across roles in health and adult social care, and is committed to improving the care provided to people who use and rely on adult social care services.   As Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care and Integrated Care, Chris leads on CQC's regulation of services which provide care to older people and adults with complex care needs. Chris also has oversight of CQC’s role in assessing how local authorities meet their duties to provide adult social care and support for people in their area under Part 1 of the Care Act (2014).

Dan Gower‑Smith is a senior leader in adult social care and the Chief Operations Officer at Avenues Group, a charity supporting people with learning disabilities, autism and acquired brain injury. With extensive experience across operations, safeguarding, quality assurance and property strategy, Dan is known for his practical, values‑led approach to leadership. He has a strong focus on person‑centred support, regulatory compliance and continuous improvement, alongside building financially resilient services that put people at the heart of their service. Dan regularly works with commissioners, regulators and provider organisations and is passionate about developing confident leaders and high‑quality, well‑led services.

Rowenna Marshall has worked for CQC since 2015, joining as an inspector. Currently Deputy Director of Policy, Rowenna leads on policy in relation to Adult Social Care and Local Authority Assurance. Rowenna and her team are currently leading the development of the new Adult Social Care assessment framework, working closely with providers, people who use services, CQC teams and other stakeholders to ensure the framework supports CQC’s vision and purpose and delivers the best outcomes for people. Prior to joining CQC, Rowenna spent a number of years working in the voluntary sector and for the Healthcare Commission.

Liz Jones is the Policy Director of the National Care Forum and has a strong background in social policy, care and support and health and housing, with over 20 years’ experience across the civil service, local government and the charity sector.

Honor is a Policy, Research and Projects Officer at the National Care Forum.  Her policy responsibilities include regulation, housing and understanding not-for-profit models of care and support. Beyond this, she is involved in various projects and research, with a particular interest in facilitating qualitative research. She has been involved with the Care Provider Alliance's work with the CQC since late 2024. 

Dan joined Anchor in February 2026 to head up our Care Services Directorate. Dan has over 20 years of executive leadership experience across the independent health and social care sector, spanning service transformation, quality improvement, governance, innovation and financial management. He began his career in the Civil Service at HM Treasury before moving to the Healthcare Commission, the predecessor to the CQC. Dan has since held senior roles across both charitable and private organisations, helping to drive improvements in care, performance and customer experience. His previous role was Deputy Chief Executive Officer & Director of Operations at MHA (Methodist Homes). Alongside his role at Anchor, Dan also serves as a Trustee of the Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust”.