Designated Clinical Officer (DCO) Service

DCO Partners Local Offer

Introducing the DCO

The DCO role is a key element in supporting the health service in its implementation of the Children and Families Act.

We are a team of 3 health professionals working together across the whole of Lancashire, including Blackpool and Blackburn with Darwen.

Who to contact

Contact Name
Sue Mounsey
Contact Position
DCO Pennine - East Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen
Telephone
01254 612722 01254 612722
E-mail
lcn-tr.dcoadminpennine@nhs.net
Notes

Sue is a Registered Children's Nurse with many years experience of working with children and young people with complex health needs and special educational needs and disability.

 

 

Where to go

Address
Daisyfield Mill
Appleby Street
Blackburn
Lancashire
Postcode

BB1 3BL

View BB1 3BL on a map

Availability

Referral required
No
Referral Details

No formal referral process, please call or email the team.

Local Offer

Description

The role of the DCO

We listen to children and young people, families and professionals so that health services offer the right provision to ensure children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) are able to reach their goals and achieve their outcomes. 

Currently, support is designed and delivered by  a range of specialist staff and providers, working with different systems and with their own priorities across Health, Education and Social Care.

We aim to improve communication and links between Health, Education and Social Care  professionals to ensure coordinated  and integrated services.

We will work with families and providers to secure jointly commissioned services that are identified as being appropriate to meet the needs of  the local population.

What do we do?

Þ Act as a single point of contact for families seeking health information

Þ Act as a single point of access for partner agencies and professionals to improve liaison and communication

Þ Participate and engage with children, young people and their families

Þ Ensure robust processes are in place to allow for the early identification of children with SEND

Þ Ensure all health services are reflected in the Local Offer and that health providers are cooperating with the Local Authority in its development and review

Þ Deliver training on the EHCP process and SEND across services, including the voluntary sector

Þ Coordinate and offer quality assurance of Health Advice as part of the wider EHCP process

Þ Coordinate EHC assessments with other statutory health assessments

Þ Answer EHCP queries linked to health provision from parents and professionals

Þ Provide a clear process for mediation and oversight of tribunals where there is disagreement regarding the health provision contained in an EHCP

Þ Liaise with educational establishments and Youth Offending Teams to support children and young people with medical conditions

Þ Contribute to the development of jointly commissioned health services to meet the needs of the local population

Work in Progress

Þ Raising awareness of SEND across all health services and ensuring compliance with SEND legislation

Þ Development of an audit tool to identify good practice and areas for improvement when writing EHCP advices

Þ Revision of the Local Offer for Health

Þ Joint working to improve and simplify the process for submitting EHCP advices

Þ Development of an audit tool to identify good practice and areas for improvement linked to times of transition between health services

 

Local Offer Age Bands
0-5 years
5-11 years
11-16 years
16-19 years
19-25 years
Parents & carers
Needs Level
Low
Medium
High
SEN Provision Type
Universal
Targeted
Specialist

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