Chief executive of the Care Quality Commission (CQC) Sir David Behan has announced his decision to leave the role, after six years with the regulator.

Behan (pictured) will step down this summer, once a successor has been appointed, the CQC said in a statement today.

Behan said that he was making an early announcement of his decision in order to allow the recruitment process to begin.  

He said: “It's been an immense privilege to serve the public by leading CQC, and I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved. We’ve inspected every hospital, adult social care provider and GP practice in the country – over 28,000 services and providers – and in the process developed a baseline on quality that is unique to anywhere in the world.”

He added: “I now feel it’s time to move on, to make a contribution in a different way and to allow someone else to lead the organisation to the next stage of its development.”

CQC chair Peter Wyman said he would reflect on Behan’s lifetime of public service upon his departure, adding: “for now, I will only say that David’s unique combination of passion, vision and deep understanding of the health and care system – along with his personal commitment to putting people at the heart of everything we do – have led CQC to become a catalyst for change that improves the quality of people’s care.”

Health secretary Jeremy Hunt said: "David has been an exceptional leader, and we are lucky to have had him at the helm at such a transformational period in the regulator’s history.”

Care England chief executive Professor Martin Green commented: “Sir David has been at the helm of CQC, and a strong leader in this sector, for a significant amount of time.  Long enough to put a stamp on the sector and lay the foundations for a system based on proportionate regulation. He is a very fair and principled man who will be missed by the sector”.

Behan’s departure from the organisation follows the retirement of the CQC’s chief inspector of hospitals Sir Mike Richards last year, with Professor Ted Baker appointed in his place.

The recruitment process for a chief executive will begin shortly, and the appointment will be made by the non-executive directors.