Deputy Designated Clinical Officer

Nhs Kent And Medway Integrated Care Board; Maidstone; On-site; GBP 49,000 - 57,000; Full time

Job summary

NHS Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board is seeking a Designated Clinical Officer to provide clinical leadership for children and young people with SEND in the 0-25 age range. Based in Maidstone, you will coordinate health input across health, education and local authority partners to support Education, Health and Care Plans and multi‑agency assessments.

You will oversee workstreams, advise on complex cases, support quality assurance and service improvement, develop policy and training, and

Qualifications

• Educated to degree level or equivalent experience.
• Member of a relevant clinical professional body.
• Significant experience working in political, complex environments.
• Evidence of continued professional development.
• Experience coordinating complex projects.

Responsibilities

• Support delivery of statutory SEND responsibilities for children and young people aged 0-25.
• Provide clinical expertise and guidance on complex SEND cases and EHCP requirements.
• Lead and coordinate SEND workstreams, projects and multi-agency assessments.
• Ensure health advice within Education, Health and Care Plans is accurate, timely and high quality.
• Work collaboratively with health services, local authorities, education settings, families and voluntary organisations.
• Support quality assurance, audits, service evaluation and continuous improvement.
• Develop policies, procedures and training to improve SEND practice across organisations.
• Represent the ICB at SEND tribunals and other complex multi-agency meetings.
• Manage risks, performance information, case records and statutory documentation.
• Contribute to service planning, commissioning decisions and effective use of resources.
• Provide oversight and support the team members and deputise for the Designated Clinical Officer when required.

Skills

System thinking

Process improvement

Effective communication

Equality, diversity & inclusion

Education

Degree level or equivalent experience

Membership of relevant clinical professional body

Job description

Job summary

This role supports the Designated Clinical Officer and ICB SEND Team to ensure NHS Kent and Medway ICB meets its statutory responsibilities for children and young people aged 0-25 with special educational needs and disabilities. The post holder provides clinical expertise, leadership and coordination across health, education and local authority partners, with a focus on high-quality health input to Education, Health and Care Plans, multi-agency assessments and SEND service improvement. Key duties include overseeing workstreams and projects, advising on complex cases, supporting quality assurance, audits and tribunals, developing policy and training, managing risks and records, and contributing to effective commissioning and use of resources. The role requires strong analytical, organisational and communication skills, sound clinical judgement and the ability to influence change across a complex partnership system.

Main duties of the job

• Support delivery of statutory SEND responsibilities for children and young people aged 0-25.
• Provide clinical expertise and guidance on complex SEND cases and EHCP requirements.
• Lead and coordinate SEND workstreams, projects and multi-agency assessments.
• Ensure health advice within Education, Health and Care Plans is accurate, timely and high quality.
• Work collaboratively with health services, local authorities, education settings, families and voluntary organisations.
• Support quality assurance, audits, service evaluation and continuous improvement.
• Develop policies, procedures and training to improve SEND practice across organisations.
• Represent the ICB at SEND tribunals and other complex multi-agency meetings.
• Manage risks, performance information, case records and statutory documentation.
• Contribute to service planning, commissioning decisions and effective use of resources.
• Provide oversight and support the team members and deputise for the Designated Clinical Officer when required.

About us

We are committed to a culture that supports all staff at NHS Kent and Medway to be the best version of themselves. Our ability to improve outcomes for our population depends on how effectively clinical, operational, financial and strategic professionals work together to make informed commissioning decisions. That is why our workforce works a minimum of two days a week on-site, with the expectation that all one-to-ones are held face-to-face and that colleagues will regularly visit the services we are commissioning to understand more about them. We believe regular on-site working supports stronger collaboration, faster problem-solving, peer learning, visible leadership and the integration of colleagues into our organisation. We also know that culture is built through shared experiences and day-to-day interactions. We are a flexible working friendly organisation; we aim to support you to work flexibly in a way that will suit you and us. We work with staff to agree objectives through regular supervision, annual appraisal and access to training opportunities.

We are committed to equal opportunities and diversity. In order to reflect the diversity of our population, we positively encourage applications from all areas of the community regardless of gender, race, faith, disability, age or sexual orientation.

Details

• Date posted: 15 October 2026
• Pay scheme: Agenda for change
• Band: Band 7
• Salary: £49,387 to £56,515 a year pro rata, per annum
• Contract: Permanent
• Working pattern: Full-time
• Reference number: 095-8347228-TS
• Job locations: Gail House, Maidstone, ME15 6NB, United Kingdom

Person Specification

Qualifications and Experience

• Educated to degree level or equivalent experience.
• Member of a relevant clinical professional body.
• Significant experience working in political, complex environments.
• Evidence of continued professional development.
• Experience coordinating complex projects

Attributes

• Motivated to improve outcomes for CYP with SEND
• Able to prepare clear, concise, high quality communications.

Competencies

• System thinking, process improvement, effective communication
• Commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Strong financial/process literacy.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website. From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer details

• Employer name: NHS Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board
• Address: Gail House, Maidstone, ME15 6NB, United Kingdom
• Employer's website: https://www.kentandmedway.icb.nhs.uk

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact: Designated Clinical Officer, Zoe Delderfield, [e-mail]

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