If you are worried about any aspect of a child or young person’s health and wellbeing you can contact
- health visitor for children under 5 years old
- school nursing service for children in school
- general practitioner (doctor)
- local pharmacy
- NHS walk in centres
- NHS 111 for out of hours advice
- NHS 999 or A&E (Accident and Emergency) for urgent assistance
Find GP’s, dentists, opticians, pharmacies and other health services in your area
Find community services, support and advice with North Yorkshire Connect.
Designated clinical officer (DCO)
North Yorkshire has a designated clinical officer (DCO) who is responsible for making sure that health providers are fulfilling their obligations under the Children and Families Act 2014. The designated clinical officer (DCO) is employed by the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).
The designated clinical officer (DCO) role is a key element in supporting health services in the implementation of the Children and Families Act and the scope of the role is very broad. The key responsibilities of the DCO are as follows:
- oversight – across all health professionals delivering healthcare to individual disabled children, young people and those with special educational needs
- co-ordination – in relation to the Local Offer, process for mediation arrangements regarding the health elements of the education, health and care plan (EHCP) and education, health and care (EHC) assessments with other key assessments such as children and young people’s continuing care assessments and looked-after children health assessments
- strategic – contribution to the development of a joint commissioning strategy and participation and engagement strategy.
Email the designated clinical officer at nyccg.send@nhs.net or visit the North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group website for more information.
If you are new to North Yorkshire and have had health involvement where you used to live, explain this when you sign up with your GP. They can access the right services for you. Your previous providers can also refer you directly to specialist services.
What happens next?
Following an assessment of your child’s needs, referrals may be made to other services. These services will then consider if they are best placed to meet your child’s needs.
Health and wellbeing services in North and West Yorkshire and Teesside
Harrogate District NHS Foundation Trust
- 0-19 years Healthy Child Team, health visiting and school nursing services - a universal service provided for all children and young people.
- Specialist Children’s Services - a specialist service for children and young people with additional health needs or disabilities
York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
- 0-19 years Healthy Child Team, health visiting and school nursing services - a universal service provided for all children and young people.
- Specialist Children’s Services - a specialist service for children and young people with additional health needs or disabilities
Tees, Esk and Wear Valley NHS Foundation Trust
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services a specialist service for children and young people experiencing mental health difficulties
- Learning disability, child and adolescent mental health services is a specialist service for children and young people with a learning disability and experiencing mental health difficulties
Airedale NHS Foundation Trust
- Specialist Children’s Services is a specialist service for children and young people with additional health needs or disabilities
You or your GP can also access North Yorkshire Connect to explore other community based support in your local area.
Schools Wellbeing Service
The service supports schools and colleges to evaluate and develop their current wellbeing provision, as well as delivering staff training, co-facilitating student/pupil workshops and assemblies and supporting student forums, campaigns and events – all of which help raise awareness about the common problems young people experience and how to deal with them.
The team is made up of qualified healthcare professionals who can support staff to identify and respond to those who may be struggling – whilst also providing direct support to those that need it, by giving timely advice, consultation and where necessary, assessment and interventions.
Find out about the schools wellbeing services in Harrogate, York, Hambleton and Richmondshire
Find out about the schools wellbeing services in Scarborough, Ryedale and Selby