Job Description

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



We are looking to recruit 2 x innovative Deputy Designated Clinical Officers (DDCO) to work across Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes.



The roles will support the current Designated Clinical Officer to improve performance, enhance patient experiences and outcomes, and sustain safe, efficient and affordable services. The post holders 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 Officers 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 candidates with experience of developing and maintaining productive and effective relationships with multi-agency partners. The post holders will also be able to demonstrate that they embrace equality and strive to reduce inequality in patient outcomes.



Should we receive a high number of applications we reserve the right to close this vacancy at any point after 26-09-2025



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) and Milton Keynes 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.



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 Purpose:

The Deputy Designated Clinical Officer (DDCO) 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 Service).

The Deputy DCO will:

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. Provide 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, Luton and Milton Keynes 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.



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 Bedford Borough, Central Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes.



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 aged 0-25 years with SEND.



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



Work in conjunction with the DCO to escalate any concerns, demonstrating the ability to identify appropriate risk and mitigation strategies to support the Executive Leads within the integrated Care Board (ICB).



Main Duties and 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 Milton Keynes, Bedford Borough, Central Bedfordshire and Luton SEND strategies, monitoring progress towards their co-produced outcomes.



Provide innovative, specialist knowledge and clinical leadership in conjunction with Public Health Nursing and CYP Specialist Services around prevention, early identification and notification for children and young people with SEND.



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 and Milton Keynes



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.



Liaise and work closely with colleagues in education including, early years settings, schools, academies, and colleges.



To work autonomously demonstrating effective time management and prioritisation skills.