Principal Clinical Psychologist / Counselling Psychologist

Principal Clinical Psychologist / Counselling Psychologist

We are seeking 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 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 distress, discomfort and some impairment in psychological wellbeing and social functioning.

This is an exciting time to begin working in Transgender Health Care. A rising prevalence of diversity of gender identity and expression has been observed here in the UK and elsewhere in recent times. In addition, there is greater awareness and some improvement in understanding, increased tolerance and acceptance with regard to this diversity in our society. There has also been a dramatic increase in referrals to gender identity clinics in the UK over the last decade, resulting in long waiting times for referred patients. Following a National Review (Levy report, December 2025) NHSE is working closely with Gender Services to drive improvements and quality improvements.

Main duties of the job

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.

The post holder will receive specialist training and supervision from senior clinicians in the service and will join the Gender Psychologists Peer Group with membership from around the UK. In addition NHS England and the Royal College of Physicians have developed Professional Certificates for Gender Identity Healthcare Professionals and members of the team are supported to pursue this qualification. Completion of this training along with relevant specialist experience should enable the post holder to register as a Gender Specialist Psychologist with the BPS. The Trust has strong links with both Exeter and Plymouth Universities and provides placements for the local clinical psychology courses. The Gender Clinic also delivers gender diversity teaching to 3rd year Trainees on DclinPsy courses.

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 conditions, neurodiversity or learning disabilities. We are a Disability Confident Leader.

Job responsibilities

The post would suit someone with an interest and wish to develop specialist knowledge and skills in this growing area of practice. It would suit someone with significant post qualification experience in delivering psychological services in another setting(s) in the NHS, including child, adolescent and adult mental health, acute physical health, or neurodevelopmental difference and diversity. In addition the post would suit someone with training and experience in clinical supervision and an interest in and experience of service development, evaluation and research.

We advise that you contact Dr Sarah James, Professional Lead, to arrange a visit to the clinic before making your application.

Person Specification Knowledge

• 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
• Knowledge of the psychological needs of patients experiencing gender and sexual diversity, a sense of incongruence or dysphoria

Qualifications

• 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
• 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

Experience

• 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

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.

The West Of England Specialist Gender Identity Clinic