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Designated Clinical Officer Service Lancashire

Description

Designated Clinical Officers (DCO) support NHS services to make sure they are meeting the needs of children and young people (aged 0-25 years) with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

We listen to children and young people (CYP) and families’ views and experiences in accessing NHS health services required to meet their SEND.

To ensure coordinated and integrated services that reflect the voice of children and young people, the DCO service improves communication and links between health, education and social care professionals.

To contact the DCO in your area, please see below:

Blackpool, Lancaster, Wyre & Fylde

DCO: Clair Martin Tel:01253956168/07833616903  bfwh.lcn-tr.dconorth@nhs.net

Hyndburn, Ribble Valley, Burnley, Pendle & Rossendale

Tel:01254612722/07507847503   lcn-tr.dcoadminpennine@nhs.net

Preston, South Ribble, Chorley & West Lancashire

DCO: Elaine Croll Tel: 01254612722/07973963565n lcn-tr.dcadminsouth@nhs.net

The DCOs want to hear your views about using NHS services. You can contact us directly or share your views through parent representatives, at meetings and events. For more information on the Local Area Partnership meetings please contact the DCO in your area.

Statutory Duties

The DCO team:

  • Ensure robust processes are in place to allow for the early identification of children with SEND
  • Ensure all NHS health services are reflected in the Local Offer, information is up to date and reviewed on a regular basis
  • Coordinate the collation of health advice that contributes to the Education, Health and Care Initial Assessment process
  • Answer EHCP queries linked to health provision from parents and professionals
  • Support NHS practitioners to contribute to any SEND appeals that involve health issues

Improving services and processes

The DCOs:

  • Act as a single point of contact for parents/carers, partner agencies and professionals to raise queries and concerns related to NHS health services and SEND
  • Raise awareness within the NHS of the statutory responsibilities linked to SEND, through training and discussions with staff groups
  • Work with NHS practitioners to improve the quality of health advice
  • Monitor quality of health advice through regular audit and feedback
  • Support colleagues to make sure that they are able to make reasonable adjustments for children and young people with medical conditions and SEND, in order to improve the quality of their service offer
  • Work with families and providers to identify inequities or gaps in commissioned services and highlight these to local commissioning teams

Address and contact information

Website
https://www.lancashire.gov.uk/

Local Offer

Local Offer Age Bands
0-4 years old
5-11 years old
11-16 years old
16-19 years old
19-25 years old