Designated Clinical Officer (DCO)

Job description

Job responsibilities

To ensure that the outcomes for disabled children and young people and those with Special Educational Needs are maximised by working to improve; quality of life, school absences, secondary mental and physical health problems, personal autonomy and involvement in further education and employment.

To lead the support to the Integrated Care Board (ICB) at place (County Durham) to ensure they meet their statutory duties for children and young people with special educational needs and disability (SEND) aged 0-25.

To provide highly specialised advice in relation to the development of often highly complex programmes of care for Children and Young People.

To provide oversight and co-ordination across all health professionals delivering healthcare to individual children and young people and those with SEND within the school and community settings.

To act as an expert resource for children and young people’s health providing highly specialised information, advice, guidance, reassurance and support for families and professionals in potentially emotive situations. This will include dealing with queries and information that may be of a highly complex, contentious and sensitive nature which extends to identifying and understanding problems or issues and also the formulation of solutions, including making recommendations about the best course of action from a range of options.

To participate in decision making around provision for children and young people within a panel environment, using information and evidence gathered to make sound and reasoned judgements, where the information will be highly complex and there may be conflicting opinions, and making recommendations from a multitude of potential options. You will actively manage financial resource commitments through this forum. This will extend to approving/declining packages on behalf of the ICB.

To ensure all health services are reflected in the Local Offer and that health providers are co-operating with the local authority in its development.

To provide highly specialised, long term strategic oversight to those children within a special school setting with complex medical needs and adapt strategies and plans in relation to the changing needs and circumstances of those children.

To develop, improve and influence the short- and long-term strategic planning and oversight of this area of work, including planning and design of services for delivery in the future within a timeframe that will often exceed a one year period.

To act as strategic and operational health lead for the Education, Health and Care Plan Pathway, ensuring co-ordination between NHS commissioners, providers, education and social care whilst ensuring robust quality assurance processes are embedded.

To work with the County Durham Care Partnership’s Integrated Commissioning team to inform short- and longer-term strategic planning and commissioning which will include influencing financial planning and management, in recognition of uncertainties and interdependencies that may exist in relation to the ongoing and constantly changing needs of the population of Children and Young People.

To work with the quality team within the ICB to ensure services commissioned are of the highest possible standards. This may involve working with clinicians, parents and partners to ensure safe services are delivered.

To link across a range of workstreams to ensure services are strategic and work collaboratively to meet the needs of children and young people, ensuring the delivery of national requirements.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• Highly developed and specialist knowledge in relation to the SEND agenda and relevant legislation, local and national policy and good practice guidance.
• Experience in working with schools and/or children with special needs and their parent/carers.
• Experience of working in collaboration with local authorities and other agencies.
• Please see attached job description.

Qualifications

Essential

• Qualified and registered Therapist (OT, SALT, Physio therapist) or Registered Nurse with a minimum of 5 years experience.
• Masters level qualification in relevant subject or equivalent knowledge / experience.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

North East & North Cumbria ICB

Address

The Surgery

Unit 14 Trinity Mews

North Ormesby Health Village

Middlesbrough

TS3 6AL

Employer's website

https://northeastnorthcumbria.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)