Are you an experienced health professional with a passion for improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND?

We are looking to recruit an innovative Deputy Designated Clinical Officer (DCO) to work across Bedfordshire.

The role will support the current Designated Clinical Officer to improve performance, enhance patient experiences and outcomes, and sustain safe, efficient and affordable services. The post holder will also have a key role in supporting the shaping and transforming of services as we respond to both legislative and national change programmes, and work to deliver greater system integration and effectiveness for children and young people aged 0-25 years with special educational needs.

The Deputy Designated Clinical Officer will be an integral part of the Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board (BLMK ICB), with joint reporting arrangements to Bedfordshire and Luton Community Health Services (Cambridgeshire Community Health Services).

We are looking for a candidate with experience of developing and maintaining productive and effective relationships with multi-agency partners . The post holder will also be able to demonstrate that they embrace equality and strive to reduce inequality in patient outcomes.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

Main duties of the job

Work closely with the DCO, 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. Providing assurance and scrutiny, as well as driving improvement.

Support the DCO in ensuring the health system's compliance with the legislation and spirit of the SEND Code of Practice, leading to improved outcomes for children and young people with SEND.

Provide leadership and coordination of the ICB and health providers in Bedfordshire (including Luton) in relation to children and young people with SEND, working in partnership with education and social care services and voluntary sector organisations.

Provide professional and clinical leadership and be a source of expertise on matters relating to EHCP assessment and SEND appeals as part of partnership working with the Local Authority, health care providers and other local agencies and organisations.

Work in partnership with the DCO, ICB and Local Authority SEND Leads, in providing specialist input into the strategic and clinical planning, standard setting and assurance processes in service provision for children and young people with EHCPs.

Undertake work to identify the needs of children and young people with SEND and their families, to inform joint commissioning.

Work in co-production with the Bedfordshire Parent Carer Forums to consider feedback regarding the quality of local health services and identify gaps in provision.

About us

Rated 'Outstanding' by the Care Quality Commission, we are proud to provide high quality innovative services across most of the east of England that enable people to receive care closer to home and live healthier lives.

There's one reason why our services are outstanding - and that's our amazing staff who, for the seventh year running, rated us incredibly highly in the national staff survey.

If you share our passion for innovative and high-quality care delivery, then please submit your application and join us on our exciting journey as a leading-edge specialist community provider. All are welcome to apply and our promise to you is a culture which prioritises staff engagement and development.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Work with all health partners to ensure that obligations under the Children and Families Act 2014 and the SEND Code of Practice 2015 are met and understood.

Work in accordance with the Bedford Borough, Central Bedfordshire and Luton SEND strategies, monitoring progress towards their co-produced outcomes.

Deputise for the DCO where requested, working with the lead commissioners, making highly complex judgements and decisions in relation to the health provision within Education Health and Care Plans (EHCPs).

Work with the DCO to provide leadership and oversight of the health component of Education Health Care Plans quality assurance process, compiling associated quality reports and providing high level scrutiny and assurance to commissioners.

Provide health specialist advice, guidance and support at multi-agency SEND panels across Bedfordshire.

Contribute to multi agency case planning meetings, working collaboratively with system partners to ensure a holistic approach to supporting CYP with SEND.

Work with others to manage and investigate complaints, following policy and procedural guidance to resolve concerns in a timely and satisfactory manner.

Interpret national policies for children and young people with SEND in conjunction with the DCO or where delegated by the DCO.

Person Specification

Qualifications and Training

Essential

• Registered Nurse (Part 1 NMC) and/or registered Specialist Public Health Nurse (Part 3 NMC) who has completed a specific programme with a child and family focus. Or Registered paediatric AHP with HCPC
• Educated to Masters level or appropriate equivalent or commitment to working towards it.
• Evidence of post qualifying and continuing professional development.

Desirable

• Teaching or mentoring qualification

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working with children in a community setting
• Recent significant experience at a management level in NHS/Local Authority or relevant environment with proven track record of using professional knowledge to bring about change.
• Commissioning, risk management and quality assurance experience
• Experience and knowledge of case management
• IT literate, including use of Microsoft Office packages i.e., Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and General Office Systems.
• Experience of managing major change that has resulted in service improvement.
• Experience of establishing effective operational and strategic working links with colleagues from local authorities.

Desirable

• NHS Experience/ Social Services Department/ Local Government

Skills

Essential

• Understanding of SEND in the reformed NHS and the role of commissioners, providers, and NHS England.
• Knowledge and understanding of Children and Families Act (2014), and the SEND Code of Practice 0 to 25 years (2015).
• Experience of working with children and young people with complex health needs.
• Experience of the Education, Health and Care planning process and pathways, and of undertaking highly complex assessments.
• Demonstrates a range of leadership qualities, skills and behaviours.
• Possesses the high level of communication skills required to engage NHS/LA senior managers and local communities in highly complex service development and change issues. This includes highly developed organisational, interpersonal, negotiation, influencing and conflict management skills.
• Strong analytical skills, particularly in the use of data and information to inform service planning.
• Experience of effective co-production (including service users and/or their representatives) analysing their views and needs and jointly agreeing positive outcomes for children and young people with SEND.

Employer details

Employer name

Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust

Address

The Poynt

Poynters Road

Luton

LU40LA

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

448-BCHS-5842157