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Job overview
We are looking for a Designated Clinical Officer within the Tower Hamlets SEND and Inclusion Partnership to lead the support to Tower Hamlets to ensure it meets its statutory duties for children and young people with special educational needs and disability (SEND) aged 0-25, in accordance with the Code of Practice (June 2014) which provides statutory guidance on duties, policies and procedures relating to Part 3 of the Children and Families Act 2014.
The successful candidate will be a senior registered health professional with extensive experience of working with Children and young people with SEND. They will have experience of working in partnership with other agencies and quality improvement to deliver sustainable change.
The post holder will act as strategic and operational health lead for the Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) pathway and provide professional and clinical leadership and be a source of expertise on matters relating to SEND for Tower Hamlets SEND and Inclusion Partnership including the North East London Integrated Care Board, Local Authority, healthcare providers and other local agencies and organisations. You will also contribute to the development of a robust quality assurance and improvement framework across the health community for children with SEND.
The role is a partnership and leadership role that Bart’s Health NHS Trust hosts on behalf of the Tower Hamlets SEND and Inclusion Partnership.
Main duties of the job
The Designated Clinical Officer (DCO) role is responsible for providing strategic clinical leadership and oversight for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The role ensures effective coordination between health, education, and social care services, supporting high-quality, person-centred care.
The DCO works to improve outcomes by advising on clinical pathways, contributing to Education, Health, and Care (EHC) processes, and ensuring statutory responsibilities are met. They collaborate with local authorities, NHS providers, and partner organisations to promote integrated working, reduce inequalities, and ensure services are responsive to the needs of families.
Additionally, the DCO plays a key role in quality assurance, service development, and safeguarding, ensuring that clinical standards are upheld and that children and young people receive appropriate, timely support.
The role is a partnership and leadership role that Bart’s Health NHS Trust hosts on behalf of the Tower Hamlets SEND and Inclusion Partnership.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience, and knowledge required. For both documents, please view the attachment/s below.
We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates as they are underrepresented within Barts Health at this band.
Person specification
Skills
Essential
- Ability to build, influence, and sustain effective, positive relationships with professionals, agencies, parents, carers, and children and young people —demonstrating strong skills in persuasion and negotiation, including within politically sensitive environments.
- Developed communication skills for delivering key messages to a range of stakeholders both internal and external (including outside the NHS) to the organisation, some at very senior level.
- Good presentational skills for conveying complex concepts.
- Evidence of planning and delivering programmes and projects and services including the ability to identify and escalate risks, anticipate issues and create solutions and to resolve problems.
- Ability to understand a broad range of complex information quickly and making decisions where opinions differ/no obvious solution.
- Evidence of encouraging and achieving change using effective negotiation, influencing, and facilitation skills.
- Effective leadership style, able to build confidence empower others and motivate teams and services outside of own management structure.
- Able to contribute to strategic planning within a multiagency context providing respectful scrutiny and challenge.
Knowledge
Essential
- Knowledge and understanding of the key issues affecting outcomes for children, young people with SEND and their families.
- In-depth knowledge and understanding of the Children and Families Act 2014, Care Act 2014, SEND Code of Practice 0-25 (2014) in addition to other relevant legislation, national police, and good practice guidance such as safeguarding and continuing care.
- Knowledge and understanding of tackling health inequalities.
Experience
Essential
- Substantial clinical experience as a professional working with children, young people with SEND and their families.
- Experience working in partnership with local authorities and other agencies to promote joint working, quality improvement, and best practice.
- Experience in designing and delivering quality assurance and quality improvement initiatives.
- Experience developing and implementing policy and practice guidance
- Experience of quality assuring and improving EHC needs assessments, plans, and processes.
- Experience of advising and providing oversight on training requirements for SEND
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to master's level or equivalent level of experience of working at a senior level in specialist area.
- Registered paediatric nurse, mental health nurse, or paediatric allied health professional.
- Evidence of post qualifying and continuing professional development.
- Member of relevant professional body.
Desirable
- Additional leadership or management training.
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Designated Clinical Officer for SEND - Tower Hamlets with Barts Health NHS Trust in London, London, England. It is listed as a Band 8 Administrative and IT role. The advertised salary is £75,328 - £86,114 per annum inc (pro rata). The contract type is Permanent. The application deadline is 13 Jul 2026.
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