What a Designated Clinical Officer (DCO) is:
The NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG) Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) plans and commission’s health care and services to ensure people remain as healthy as possible..
Each CCG should have a Designated Medical Officer (DMO) or a Designated Clinical Officer (DCO) who works closely with the Local Authorities and assists the CCG in meeting its responsibilities in respect to SEND.
What the Designated Clinical Officer does for SEND services
The DCO provides a point of contact for LA’s, schools and colleges who require advice or support on health related matters for children and young people who have special education needs and / or disabilities (SEND)
They:
- Can provide advice to education settings about their duties under the Department of Education’s (2014) ‘Supporting Pupils At School With Medical Conditions’ guidance
- Can liaise with child and adult health services about specific children and young people.
- Attend the weekly LA SEND panels to review advice and provide a health opinion
- Participate in EHCP quality assurance exercises and feedback to health colleagues.
- Provide support and training to health colleagues on SEND.
- Can attend annual reviews for children and young people with complex health needs.
- Can identify children and young people who may require referral to Children’s Continuing Care (CCC) or adult Continuing Health Care (CHC) services.
- Can work with partners in cases that need mediation services to resolve disputes outside of tribunals
- Can review and provide evidence for First Tier Tribunal cases where there is a health element for determination.
- Work closely with parent carer forums and other support or voluntary organisations.
- Participate in SEND Local Area Inspections.
- work with the LA to look at personal health budgets (PHB’s) for those who have asked for a personal budget and who meet the children’s Continuing Care (CCC) criteria or adult Continuing Health Care criteria (CHC).
- Publish an annual report.
Contact the Designated Clinical Officer
Liz Jarvis is the Designated Clinical Officer for the NHS Bristol North Somerset South Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group. · email: liz.jarvis1@nhs.net
Address: NHS BNSSG CCG, , South Plaza, Marlborough Street, Bristol, BS1 3NX
Designated Clinical Officer Annual Report
The report provides an overview of the role and responsibilities of the Designated Clinical Officer (DCO) for Special Educational Needs and/or
Disability (SEND) working at Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG) Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG). It identifies the work that has been undertaken over the last 12 months and describes plans and aspirations for the next 12 months.