Rosie Varley to replace Rodney Brooke as GSCC chair

The General Social Care Council today announced the appointment of Rosie Varley as chair, replacing Rodney Brooke, who is retiring after seven years in the role. 

Varley joins England’s social care regulator after nine years as chairman of the General Optical Council, the watchdog for UK opticians.

A senior figure in the fields of health and constitutional affairs, Varley is currently acting chair of the Council for Regulatory Excellence, which oversees all health regulators. In 2007 she received an OBE for services to the NHS and healthcare. 

She said she was looking forward to leading the organisation through the “radical changes” already under way in the sector.

“I am delighted to be joining the GSCC at a time when social care is firmly on the national policy agenda, and radical changes are afoot to bring choice and control to people who use services and to ensure a system equipped to deal with an ageing population,” she added. 

“Social care workers will play a critical part in making this a realilty. Modern and effective regulation based on up to date and safe professional standards is in common interests of users, employers and the workforce.”

Brooke welcomed the appointment, predicting his successor would be “a great asset to the GSCC”.

“Rosie has many years experience of leading major public bodies and we are therefore delighted that she will be overseeing the GSCC, as it looks ahead to registering other parts of the social care workforce,” he said.

Varley takes up her position as chair on 1 November.

Related articles

GSCC chair Rodney Brooke knighted in Queen’s birthday honours

Mike Wardle appointed chief executive of GSCC

Expert guide to inspection and regulation

External information

Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence