Designated Clinical Officer (DCO)

We are looking to recruit an innovative Designated Clinical Officer (DCO) to work across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. The role will provide strategic leadership and system-wide influence for health across the SEND landscape of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough within Central East ICB. You will champion the needs, experiences and outcomes of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities, ensuring that health is visible, influential and accountable across the system.

The role will be a key in leading health contributions to SEND transformation and the implementation of national SEND reforms. We are looking for an experienced clinician who has the passion and commitment to improve outcomes for children and young people. You will be skilled in developing effective relationships with partners, and strive to reduce inequality for children and young people with SEND needs., The Designated Clinical Officer (DCO) for SEND will provide strategic leadership and system-wide influence for health across the SEND landscape of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough within Central East ICB.

The DCO will provide strategic leadership and system wide influence to support NHS Central East ICB in complying with their statutory responsibilities. The post holder will champion the needs, experiences and outcomes of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities through a health lens, ensuring health is a visible, influential and accountable partner across the system.

The DCO will lead and coordinate health contributions to SEND transformation, implementation of National SEND Reforms, preparation for Schools and Wellbeing reforms, and development of inclusive, needs-led support pathways that reduce reliance on statutory processes and promote early intervention, prevention and integrated support. The role will maintain a strong presence across SEND partnership boards, strategic groups, working groups and sub-groups and ensure effective communication and escalation between operational delivery and senior leadership of strategic partnership.

The Designated Clinical Officer (DCO) will be an integral part of Central East ICB , with joint reporting arrangements to East of England Community Health and Care NHS Trust., If you receive a suspicious job offer or recruitment-related communication, do not make any payments, share personal information, or provide identity documents. We encourage you to report the matter to your local police or relevant law enforcement agency.

Any concerns relating to potential recruitment fraud should also be reported to our Local Counter Fraud Specialist (LCFS) as soon as possible., The DCO will: Be a strategic lead, to ensure that the ICB is meeting its statutory duties for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), aged 0-25 years. They will provide assurance and scrutiny, as well as driving improvement.

Ensure the health systems compliance with the legislation and spirit of the SEND Code of Practice, leading to improved outcomes for children and young people with SEND. Lead the coordination of the ICB and health providers in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough in relation to children and young people with SEND, working in partnership with education, social care services and the voluntary and community sector.

Support health providers to co-produce service direction, improvements and the values on which they are based, with users of the services. Promote a culture that embraces equality and strives continuously to reduce inequality in both access and outcomes for all residents in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. Undertake work to identify needs of children and young people with SEND and their families, to inform joint commissioning.

Act as an expert resource for families and professionals, in relation to health services for children and young people with SEND. Organisational ArrangementsAccountable To: Deputy Director of Safeguarding & SEND NHS