Job overview

3 x permanent, full-time DCOs for Cheshire West & Chester, Wirral and Sefton/St Helens.

Due to promotion and retirement, we have three opportunities to join NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board as a Designated Clinical Officer (SEND). These senior posts will provide leadership and direction on Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) delivery for 0- 25-year-olds. Taking account of national and local strategy, you will work with Senior Strategic Managers, Heads of Service, stakeholders and partners to support the delivery of SEND, ensuring spread of best practice in respect of all commissioned services. 

Within our Merseyside cluster we have two full-time roles available: one post for Wirral Place and a second post for Sefton Place (0.8wte) and St Helens Place (0.2wte) and within our Cheshire cluster we have a full-time post for Cheshire West and Chester Place. All posts are hybrid and will require a minimum of two days per week at Place. Applicants will be invited to express an interest in one, two or all three of the posts.

To apply for this post, you will need to be a Registered Nurse or Allied Health Professional with extensive knowledge of SEND. The role offers the opportunity to utilise your existing skills and to develop further working across organisational boundaries and championing partnership working. 

Main duties of the job

The SEND Code of Practice for children and young people (CYP) with Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) 0-25 years indicates that partners should ensure there is a Designated Medical Officer (DMO) or Designated Clinical Officer (DCO) to support the ICB at place in meeting its statutory responsibilities for children and young people with SEN and disabilities. There are discussions at a national level about making this post a statutory requirement.

 The post will primarily be a key point of contact and advice for local partners (e.g. Local Authority, Education, Social Care), professionals, parents and young people who have SEN and/or a disability. Ultimately the aim of the post is to help ensure that children and young people with SEND have their health needs assessed and that they can access appropriate services to meet their health needs.

 A national handbook for Designated Clinical Officers for SEND developed by the Council for Disabled Children exists and the post holder will be expected to deliver the role as outlined in the handbook.

Working for our organisation

NHS Cheshire and Merseyside is responsible for planning NHS services for our population, which includes the care you receive at your GP practice, local pharmacy, NHS dentist, NHS opticians, or at hospital. We serve a population of over 2.7m people across Cheshire East, Cheshire West, Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens, Warrington, and Wirral. We value and promote diversity and are committed to equality of opportunity for all. This is a significant, high-profile role within the ICB which offers a unique opportunity to shape the speaking up culture within our organisation and across Cheshire and Merseyside healthcare system. We are looking for an individual who demonstrates a compassionate and inclusive leadership style, the ability to build relationships and gain credibility whilst maintaining impartiality, and who is committed to creating an open and transparent organisational culture.