Paul Edie, Chair, said: "I am delighted to confirm that the Board has appointed Karen Anderson as the new Chief Executive of the Care Inspectorate after a rigorous and extensive recruitment process.

Applications were received from a very high calibre of candidates from across the UK and I am pleased that the recruitment process has been completed within the proposed timescales. Ministers have approved this appointment and Karen will take up her new responsibilities from Monday 18 May. I wish her all the best in her new role and look forward to working closely with her."

Karen Anderson said: "I am honoured to take up post and lead the Care Inspectorate. The work our staff do is vital in protecting people who are vulnerable and use care services. At a time of significant change in the care sector, we need to make sure we continue to provide public protection and help drive improvement where care services are not providing safe, compassionate and high-quality care.

"I am determined to continue building excellence across all the work of the Care Inspectorate to maintain robust and credible scrutiny and improvement work. My priority is to work in collaboration with our staff, scrutiny partners, service providers, and people who use care service, and their families, to improve outcomes for people across Scotland. That is the way we can truly become a world-class scrutiny body of which everyone in Scotland can be proud."

Notes

Karen Anderson served as director of strategic development and depute chief executive at the Care Inspectorate since 2012. Previously she held various executive roles in the Care Inspectorate since its inception and in its predecessor body the Care Commission since 2009.