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Location

Wirral, Merseyside | United Kingdom

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Job description

Due to significant investment and internal restructure of our SEND workforce, an exciting opportunity has arisen to join NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board as a Designated Clinical Officer (SEND) for the Place of Wirral. This senior post 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.

To apply for this post you will need to be a Registered Nurse or a Registered Allied Health Professional (Speech & Language Therapist/Physiotherapist/Occupational Therapist) with extensive knowledge of SEND. The role offers the opportunity to utilise your existing skills and to develop further in particular around working across organisational boundaries and championing partnership working.

In return, you will join a forward-thinking and supportive organisation, working as part of an experienced Cheshire and Merseyside DCO team with access to an extensive induction process, continuous professional development and clinical supervision by the ICB Head of SEND.

The Designated Clinical Officer will act as the key source of knowledge and experience for a wide range of clinical colleagues and key stakeholders working to implement the SEND reforms. The post holder will therefore require an in-depth and comprehensive understanding of the Children and families Act, SEND Code of Practice and statutory requirements of the health system.

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

A national handbook for Designated Clinical Officers for SEND exists and the post holder will be expected to deliver the role as outlined in the handbook

NHS Cheshire and Merseyside serves a population of 2.7m has 18 Trusts and 355 GP practices with the ambition for everyone in Cheshire and Merseyside to have a great start in life and get the support they need to stay healthy and live longer by working together as equal partners.

This role will be based within the Wirral team, but working across the wider Cheshire and Merseyside footprint and is part of the Nursing and Care Directorate.
• To contribute to strategy in the health system in relation to the implementation of the SEND Code of Practice within the Children and Families Act 2015.
• To enable the ICB at Liverpool place to undertake its statutory functions for children and young people aged 0-25 years by facilitating a collaborative approach at place in implementing the required SEND reforms.
• To ensure that children and young people with SEND (aged 0-25) receive the appropriate services to support them to achieve positive outcomes by acting as an expert resource in the health system for information, advice, guidance and support for CYP, families and professionals.
• To advise the ICB at Wirral Place on commissioning of services for children and young people with SEND and in particular of emerging issues in service delivery.
• Promote joint commissioning of services through effective management of relationships
• To contribute to strategy in relation to transition between children’s and adult services for children and young people with SEND and ensure there are effective pathways up to age 25.
• To work in partnership with a wide range of partners including education and social care to design, develop and deliver plans to ensure that children and young people with SEND achieve positive outcomes.
• To contribute to development of strategic direction for Wirral health services in meeting statutory requirements for SEND, identifying priorities for development and facilitating improvement in service delivery.
• To contribute to workforce development and increase awareness the SEND Code of Practice amongst health professional and services.
• To monitor and quality assure the performance of Place based commissioned health services in relation to SEND and communicate with commissioners where performance is a concern.
• To develop and monitor systems and support the implementation of quality and timely health input into Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCP).
• To develop and maintain strong relationships with children and young people with SEND and their families and ensure that co-production is embedded into the practice of health services.
• To work with the Local Authority to ensure that comprehensive, accurate and up to date information about local health services is accessible on the Local Offer (a website which provides information about local services for children and young people with SEND).
• To maintain close links with other DCOs in the region and participate in / attend meetings of relevant regional and national network.
• To contribute to the Place based strategic and business planning processes to include demand management, service & pathway redesign and commissioning specifically in relation to children and young people with SEND
• To report regularly through the Place-based SEND Partnership Board and other associated forums about health compliance with the SEND Code of Practice’
• To provide advice and expertise in relation to the needs of children, young people with SEND to partner organsations, and others
• To develop a structured approach to coproduction and engagement activities and the development of relationships across all SEND partners.
• To manage finances for developments relevant to the role.
• To deputise for more senior members of staff and, when required, present pathway redesign proposals to ICB committees and other commissioning boards as appropriate.
• The job description and person specification are an outline of the tasks, responsibilities and outcomes required of the role, which will take place under normal office-based conditions. The job holder will carry out any other duties as may reasonably be required by their line manager to meet the SEND agenda objectives.

This advert closes on Friday 8 Mar 2024

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