Job summary
We are looking for an experienced and
enthusiastic Principal Clinical or Counselling Psychologist to join the West of
England Specialist Gender Identity Clinic (WESGIC) on a full time basis.
The WESGIC is nationally commissioned by NHS
England and is the only service of its kind based in the South West. The
service receives referrals from the geographical area covered by NHS England.
Patients in receipt of a service from the SGIC experience a sense of gender
diversity or incongruence between their sex assigned at birth and their gender
identity resulting in significant level of distress and discomfort and some
impairment in psychological wellbeing and social functioning.
The post
holder will be supported by the Professional Lead and employed as part of the
Specific Psychological Interventions team and will contribute to the
leadership, development and delivery of psychological services at the SGIC. They will
work as part of a multi-disciplinary team which provides specialist assessment,
physiological, psychological and social interventions to patients within the
service and consultation to professionals and significant others outside of the
service. The service aims to alleviate patients distress, help them achieve a
greater sense of gender comfort and in turn improve psychological wellbeing and
social functioning.
Main duties of the job
The principal purpose of the job is to improve the
psychological health & wellbeing of people within the post holders
specialist field of practice.
This will be achieved in this post through
undertaking the following areas of responsibility:
- To ensure the systematic provision of a high
quality psychological service in specialist field of practice.
- Providing clinical leadership and supervision for
less experienced staff, trainees and volunteers employed by or attached to the
service.
- Carrying a specialist caseload of clients, and
providing advice and consultancy to patients and professionals.
- To work autonomously within professional guidelines
and exercise responsibility for the systematic governance of psychological
practice within professional and Trust guidelines as lead specialist.
- To contribute to service development and evaluation
by undertaking and supporting others to undertake audit and research activities
within the service.
- The post holder with receive regular professional
and clinical supervision in accordance to Trust policy and to Professional
Practice Guidelines set out by the British Psychological Society or appropriate
designated Professional Body.
- Observe, and abide by all relevant Professional
Codes of Conduct and Practice including the British Psychological Society. The post holder will be fully registered with the
Health Professions Council as a condition of employment
About us
About Devon Partnership Trust
We provide mental health, learning disability and neurodiversity services, as well as a range of specialist & secure services for the wider south west region & nationally. We are passionate about promoting good mental health & wellbeing. We strive to use the expertise & resources within our organisation, and through our partnerships, to deliver high quality services that are safe & focused on people's recovery.
Our values
We not only recruit employees based on their qualifications & experience - we recruit individuals who possess and demonstrate the behaviours which underpin the core values of our organisation. These values include such attributes as showing a commitment to quality of care, improving lives of others, giving respect, dignity & compassion. We can bring those values to life in our everyday tasks by giving a smile; making time for people; challenging ourselves & others, & being open to new ideas.
We are committed to being an inclusive employer & applications are encouraged & welcomed from all sections of the community, regardless of any protected characteristics as governed by the Equality Act 2010. Part time & flexible working applications will be considered & supported, where possible. We particularly encourage applicants with lived experience of mental health & learning disabilities. We are a Disability Confident Employer.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please refer to the full
Job Description and Person specification attached to this advert which will
provide further information on this role.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please refer to the full
Job Description and Person specification attached to this advert which will
provide further information on this role.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Experience in undertaking leadership roles within psychology/psychological therapy services in the NHS and in contributing to the development, implementation and evaluation of strategies and clinical policies in multi-disciplinary/ multi-agency contexts.
- Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment across a wide range of care settings, including outpatient, community, primary care and in patient settings and across the age range
- Experience of providing psychological services in a multi-disciplinary and/or multi-agency context
- Experience of working with issues of difference, diversity and social inequality
- Experience of teaching, training and supervision
Desirable
- Experience of providing psychological services in an acute physical health setting
- Experience of working with gender and sexual diversity
- Experience of working with people with neurodevelopmental difference or diversity
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Ability to communicate effectively verbally, nonverbally and in writing complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to patients, families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside of the NHS
- Strong leadership qualities, resilience and ability to handle ambiguity and uncertainty.
- Skills in managing conflict, negotiation and achieving consensus in complex situations in the pursuit of agreed strategic aims
- Advanced skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management
- Ability to integrate complex data; make highly skilled evaluations and decisions; and take a long term
- Proven organisational, planning and time management skills
- Ability to work under pressure and cope with deadlines
- Ability to work independently and use initiative within a service consisting of a network of teams.
- Ability to work as a member of a clinical team
Qualifications
Essential
- Qualified Clinical Psychologist or Counselling Psychologist (D.Clin/Couns.Psychol.) and eligible for Chartered Clinical or Counselling Psychologist Status in the British Psychological Society including specifically: training in models of psychopathology, psychometrics and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology and in research design, methodology and data analysis
- Registration with HCPC
- Further training in at least one psychological therapy
- Further training in clinical supervision
- Evidence of continuing professional development as recommended by BPS
Desirable
- Further training in gender and sexual diversity
- Further training in assessment and interventions with people with developmental difference, i.e. autistic spectrum conditions and ADHD
Knowledge
Essential
- Broad knowledge and familiarity of mental health and other specialist services; and of the services in the NHS where psychology and psychological therapies are commonly applied.
- Knowledge of theory and practice of at least two distinct psychological models/approaches and preferably cognitive and behavioural, systemic and narrative and/or humanistic and existential approaches
- Knowledge of the policy context of specialist psychological services within the organisation and of clinical leadership arrangements in this setting.
- Knowledge of relevant British Psychological Society, American Psychological Association and Royal College of Psychiatrists professional and clinical guidelines for working with gender and sexual minorities and gender dysphoria
- Knowledge of the World Professional Association of Transgender Health Standards of Care, the NHS England National Service Specification and the interventions available to people who experience gender dysphoria in the UK
Desirable
- Knowledge of the social and political history of gender and sexual diversity and how it may be related to healthcare
- Knowledge of the psychological needs of patients experiencing gender and sexual diversity, a sense of incongruence or dysphoria
- Knowledge of legislation in relation to this patient group and to mental health, e.g. Gender Recognition Act
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Experience in undertaking leadership roles within psychology/psychological therapy services in the NHS and in contributing to the development, implementation and evaluation of strategies and clinical policies in multi-disciplinary/ multi-agency contexts.
- Experience of specialist psychological assessment and treatment across a wide range of care settings, including outpatient, community, primary care and in patient settings and across the age range
- Experience of providing psychological services in a multi-disciplinary and/or multi-agency context
- Experience of working with issues of difference, diversity and social inequality
- Experience of teaching, training and supervision
Desirable
- Experience of providing psychological services in an acute physical health setting
- Experience of working with gender and sexual diversity
- Experience of working with people with neurodevelopmental difference or diversity
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Ability to communicate effectively verbally, nonverbally and in writing complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to patients, families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside of the NHS
- Strong leadership qualities, resilience and ability to handle ambiguity and uncertainty.
- Skills in managing conflict, negotiation and achieving consensus in complex situations in the pursuit of agreed strategic aims
- Advanced skills in the use of complex methods of psychological assessment, intervention and management
- Ability to integrate complex data; make highly skilled evaluations and decisions; and take a long term
- Proven organisational, planning and time management skills
- Ability to work under pressure and cope with deadlines
- Ability to work independently and use initiative within a service consisting of a network of teams.
- Ability to work as a member of a clinical team
Qualifications
Essential
- Qualified Clinical Psychologist or Counselling Psychologist (D.Clin/Couns.Psychol.) and eligible for Chartered Clinical or Counselling Psychologist Status in the British Psychological Society including specifically: training in models of psychopathology, psychometrics and neuropsychology, two or more distinct psychological therapies and lifespan developmental psychology and in research design, methodology and data analysis
- Registration with HCPC
- Further training in at least one psychological therapy
- Further training in clinical supervision
- Evidence of continuing professional development as recommended by BPS
Desirable
- Further training in gender and sexual diversity
- Further training in assessment and interventions with people with developmental difference, i.e. autistic spectrum conditions and ADHD
Knowledge
Essential
- Broad knowledge and familiarity of mental health and other specialist services; and of the services in the NHS where psychology and psychological therapies are commonly applied.
- Knowledge of theory and practice of at least two distinct psychological models/approaches and preferably cognitive and behavioural, systemic and narrative and/or humanistic and existential approaches
- Knowledge of the policy context of specialist psychological services within the organisation and of clinical leadership arrangements in this setting.
- Knowledge of relevant British Psychological Society, American Psychological Association and Royal College of Psychiatrists professional and clinical guidelines for working with gender and sexual minorities and gender dysphoria
- Knowledge of the World Professional Association of Transgender Health Standards of Care, the NHS England National Service Specification and the interventions available to people who experience gender dysphoria in the UK
Desirable
- Knowledge of the social and political history of gender and sexual diversity and how it may be related to healthcare
- Knowledge of the psychological needs of patients experiencing gender and sexual diversity, a sense of incongruence or dysphoria
- Knowledge of legislation in relation to this patient group and to mental health, e.g. Gender Recognition Act
Additional information
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
