The Care Quality Commission, the independent regulator of all health and adult social care in England, announced  that it has brought in two advisors to add to its experience and expertise in adult social care and to help develop its relationship with the sector.

Bill Hodson has been appointed as national advisor on adult social care, working at both policy and operational levels. He will provide advice on best practice, contribute to policy decisions and strengthen partnerships with stakeholders and other organisations. He joins a small team of national advisors who have current or recent practice experience at a senior level in health and social care. His appointment is initially for a year and he will spend one day a week on his CQC work.

Mr Hodson has more than 30 years' experience of social care, housing and corporate governance in local authority roles. Until recently he was director of housing and adult social services for the City of York Council, and a member of the national executive of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS).

Barbara Laing is helping the commission in the run-up to the registration of adult social care providers under the Health and Social Care Act 2008. Over the next six months, working two days a week for CQC, she will offer an additional channel of communication with providers while assessing what is working well in the registration process and advising the commission on what could be done better.

Ms Laing worked for 14 years for Anchor, England's largest not-for-profit provider of housing and care to older people, where latterly she was responsible for its 30,000 rented and leasehold properties. Previously she ran the organisation's portfolio of 100 residential and nursing homes. Before that she spent 20 years in social care with Birmingham City Council.

CQC chief executive Cynthia Bower said: "I'm very pleased that both Bill and Barbara are able to get involved with our work. I'm confident that their experience in senior roles within the adult social care sector will enable them to make substantial contributions to our relationships with providers and commissioning bodies.