237879 Senior Principal Applied Psychologist

NHS Scotland is committed to encouraging equality and diversity among our workforce and eliminating unlawful discrimination. The aim is for our workforce to be truly representative and for each employee to feel respected and able to give their best. NHS Scotland welcomes applications from all sections of society.

Please note: we anticipate a high level of interest in this position and may close the vacancy early once a sufficient amount of applications are received. Therefore, please make sure you complete and submit your application at an early stage.

We will fully support disabled candidates, and candidates with long-term conditions or who are neurodivergent by making reasonable adjustments to our recruitment policy and practices.

To work in the United Kingdom, there is a legal requirement for an individual to demonstrate that they have the relevant permission to work in the country. This permission is granted by the UK Visa and Immigration Service. Further information on what NHS Scotland Boards are required to do to check this as well as what your responsibilities include can be found in the further information for this vacancy.

This post requires PVG Scheme membership/record. If the post holder is not a current PVG member for the required regulatory group (i.e. child and/or adult) then an application will need to be made to Disclosure Scotland and deemed satisfactory before they can begin in post.

Due to legislative changes from 1 April 2025, this post may require a different level of criminal records check than is currently the case. If the post is assessed as a "regulated role", your appointment will be subject to joining the PVG Scheme. If there is any change to what is currently required, this will be confirmed by the Hiring Manager or the Recruitment Team. For more details on these changes please visit: Disclosure Scotland Changes.

NHS Lothian Clinical Health Psychology Service is pleased to advertise this permanent Senior Principal Applied Psychologist post within the Gender Identity Service at Chalmers Sexual Health Centre in Edinburgh. Chalmers Gender Identity Clinic (GIC) offers assessment and access to medical and non-medical interventions in relation to gender incongruence or dysphoria. It provides information, advice and support to people who access the GIC from a multidisciplinary team of specialists in gender identity, mental health, reproductive endocrinology and speech and language therapy. This post provides an opportunity for the post holder to further develop the Psychology service to the GIC, providing direct clinical input across the whole of the service pathway and indirect support to the GIC team and wider stakeholders via supervision/reflective practice, training and consultation. There will be operational management responsibility for the psychologists (also based at Chalmers) working in HIV/Sexual Health.

If you would like to discuss this opportunity further, please contact Dr Chris Hewitt (Consultant Clinical Health Psychologist) at:

• Provide direct clinical input across the gender identity service pathway and indirect support to the GIC team and wider stakeholders via supervision, reflective practice, training and consultation.
• Take on operational management responsibility for the psychologists based at Chalmers Gender Identity Clinic working in HIV/Sexual Health.

As from 1/4/26, the Agenda for Change full-time working week will be reducing from 37 to 36 hours per week. Part-time hours will be reduced pro-rata. Please note that the pay scale in this advert will not be changing as a result.