We're working with clinicians to understand how DMOs or DCOs can support the vision of the Children and Families Act, and have also produced a series of resources aimed at encouraging greater understanding of the role.
The Designated Medical Officer or Designated Clinical Officer plays a key part in implementing the SEND reforms and in supporting joined up working between health services and local authorities.
CDC has been doing significant work with clinicians to understand how the Designated Medical Officer (DMO) or Designated Clinical Officer (DCO) can support the vision of the Children & Families Act 2014.
The following resources are designed to support DMOs and DCOs, and to develop shared understandings about the role and their importance in implementing the SEND reforms.
The Council for Disabled Children hosts an email forum to promote an active community of Designated Medical and Clinical Officers, and to allow them to share peer learning, best practice and engage in problem-solving.
If you are a DMO or DCO and would like to join the email forum, please email Adeeba Khan at [email protected]
Based on a number of events with DMOs and DCOs, we have produced a handbook that sets out important elements of the role, an insight into how the role is emerging in different areas, together with practical examples and useful materials for practitioners and commissioners.
Download the DMO/DCO Handbook
This handbook is currently under review and will be updated when completed.
Insightful case studies of Designated Clinical Officers in three separate areas within England, designed to illustrate what the role entails.
CDC conducted four interviews with DCOs from different areas within England to understand their role, commissioned by NHS England. These ‘Local Area Reflections and Learning’ resources were produced as a result and are an insightful resource for anyone wanting to learn more about the impact a DCO has on the SEND system.
CDC would like to thank the four DCOs that took part for sharing their experiences to inform these resources.
The aim of the SEND QI Framework is to support local health systems to have a person-centred approach to quality improvement, with an agreed definition of quality, best understood and experienced through an individual learning lens.
The Framework was coproduced with parents and carers and children and young people, and 8 key quality principles were developed.
The Framework document provides further information on its development, how to begin the process, and a self-evaluation tool to measure the impact of the improvement alongside the principles.
To continue to develop our understanding of the tool’s functionality and challenges, we need your feedback. To enable this, there is a QR code which will take you to a Microsoft form. If you download and use the framework and tool, please complete the feedback form, so we continue to develop and improve the tool.
QI Tool
You can find the QR code below
The Designated Clinical Officer(DCO)/Designated Medical Officer (DMO) Continuous Professional Development (CPD) tool aims to support the development of both DCO and DMO roles. It’s important to recognise that the experience of a new DCO/DMO in the early days of their role is important and can have a positive influence in their journey to becoming a confident and credible practitioner. This tool can support induction through a preceptorship type model that can offer the structured support needed to successfully convert knowledge into everyday practice, and gain confidence.
For DCO/DMOs already in post the CPD tool provides a framework to aid reflection and consider any potential gaps in knowledge and skills at the beginning, at mid-point and after 6 months and beyond. The timeframes to complete the skills/ knowledge required can be agreed between the individual and their line manager as part of continuing professional development and can inform the next steps at appraisals/ PDRs. The collection of evidence of learning can be used to support maintaining the individual's professional registration.
Three interviews in which DMO/DCOs discuss their role and responsibilities, day-to-day work, the contribution that they make and the key challenges faced in their roles.