Principal Practitioner Psychologist - Transition

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust; West of England; On-site; GBP 67,000 - 77,000; Full time

Job summary

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Principal Practitioner Psychologist to lead the Children and Young People’s Gender Service South West, providing high level clinical input for young people aged 17 and over and supporting transfer to adult services. The role focuses on leadership, complex care, and multi-agency collaboration within NHS partnership providers.

The post involves working with the National Provider Network, using developmental and social models, and applying data to inform

Qualifications

• Doctorate in Clinical Psychology/Counselling Psychology or equivalent.
• Current registration as a Practitioner Psychologist with the HCPC.
• Training in the supervision of trainee clinical psychologists/other staff.
• Management/leadership training.

Responsibilities

• To contribute to development, coordination, clinical care and leadership, to ensure the systematic provision of a psychology service to the CYP Gender Service and personally provide highly specialist clinical input (direct and indirect) with all age groups in this service, their management within NHS partnership providers.
• To contribute to work as appropriate with the National Provider Network.
• To lead the CYPGS – South West pathway for young people aged 17 and above, developing appropriate time limited interventions.
• To lead the CYPGS – South West process and system for young people moving to adult services.
• To work alongside the Clinical Lead and the National Provider Network to provide effective intervention for young people 17 years and above.
• To provide day-to-day management and professional supervision of staff employed within Psychological Health Services
• To support the provision of a service consistent with the April 2026 Service Specification for CYP Gender Services and in line with the Cass Review Recommendations.

Skills

Leadership

Clinical psychology

Team supervision

Data-informed

Education

Doctorate in Clinical Psychology

Job description

Main area Children and Young People's Gender Service (South West) Grade NHS AfC: Band 8b Contract Permanent Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week Job ref 387-W&C5417-DAC

Employer Bristol NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Bristol Royal Hospital for Children Town Bristol Salary £66,582 - £77,368 pa, pro rata for par time roles Salary period Yearly Closing 14/10/2026 23:59

NHS AfC: Band 8b

North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT) and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) have merged as of 1 st July 2026 to become Bristol NHS Foundation Trust. This will create an exciting future that brings together the best of both organisations. As a single, strong and sustainable organisation, we will not only be able to deliver better outcomes for our patients and fairer care for our population, but it will also provide greater opportunities for our people.

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust recognise the value of a healthy work-life balance. When applying, speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate flexible working, so your work life fits around your home life.

We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates as they are under-represented within the Trust.

Our job adverts may close as soon as sufficient applications have been received.

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Job overview

We are pleased to be recruiting into Psychological Health Services for a post to provide a major contribution to the Children and Young People Gender Service S outh West ( CYPGS SW ) as part of the continued growth and development of this paediatric clinical specialty. We are looking for a Principal Practitioner Psychologist with leadership, management and clinical experience to lead the team to provide care to young people aged 17 and over and to support the transfer of care to adult services. As part of this role you would be providing therapeutic care to Children , young people and their families with complex needs.

Th is role will require working with colleagues from the National Provider Network for Children and Young People’s Gender Service. Knowledge of developmental, psychological and social models will be required with an ability to use data to inform service development.

CPD and learning together is highly valued withing the CYPGS specialty. It enjoys weekly in person clinical development meetings, provided by clinicians within the team and external speakers .

Main duties of the job

To contribute to development, coordination, clinical care and leadership, to ensure the systematic provision of a psychology service to the Children and Young People’s Gender Service and personally provide highly specialist clinical input (direct and indirect) with all age groups in this service, their management within NHS partnership providers.

To contribute to work as appropriate with the National Provider Network

To lead the CYPGS – South West pathway for young people aged 17 and above, developing appropriate time limited interventions.

To lead the CYPGS – South West process and system for young people moving to adult services.

To work alongside the Clinical Lead and the National Provider Network to provide effective intervention for young people 17 years and above.

To provide day-to-day management and professional supervision of staff employed within Psychological Health Services

To support the provision of a service consistent with the April 2026 Service Specification for CYP Gender Services and in line with the Cass Review Recommendations.

Further duties as per the attached Job Description & Person Spec.

Working for our organisation

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust brings together more than 28,000 staff to deliver over 160 clinical services across thirteen hospital locations, operating from three main sites at Southmead, Bristol city centre and Weston.

With an annual turnover of £2.3 billion, we are now one of the largest NHS trusts in the United Kingdom. Our hospitals are spread across Bristol and Weston, join us and you can enjoy the very best of both worlds; city living within a stone’s throw of the countryside or beside the seaside, both with easy access to all that the South West has to offer.

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust values all people as individuals. As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application in order to ensure we’re meeting our pledge.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Psychological Health Services

The award-winning Psychological Health Services is recognised for leadership and the development of Trust wide psychological services.As a university teaching trust, research and quality improvement forms part of BFT’s mission to support excellence in delivery of patient care, alongside education and applied research of the highest quality.

We are engaged in high profile national professional networks at a senior level across BPS, NHS and charitable sector organisations.We have strong links to local and regional universities providing access to support research and clinical training with honorary appointment up to professorial level. Psychological Health Services has an expanding research portfolio . Psychological Health Services take pride in their commitment to providing high quality and accessible CPD and access to skilled clinical and peer supervision. Examples of current CPD opportunities include monthly Trust wide departmental CPD meetings, journal clubs and an ACT supervision group.

Although the current recruitment is for a specific post, we welcome enquiries from those who are interested in wider opportunities within our portfolio.

For a more detailed job description, main responsibilities, and person specification, please refer to the job description document attached to this vacancy.

Person specification

Qualifications

• Doctorate in Clinical Psychology/Counselling Psychology or equivalent
• Current registration as a Practitioner Psychologist with the HCPC
• Training in the supervision of trainee clinical psychologists/other staff
• Management/leadership training

Knowledge

• Ability to generate systemic and individual psychological formulations and triage/deliver brief interventions using psychological theories and models
• Advanced communication skills, including providing and receiving highly complex and sensitive information in a culturally appropriate manner
• Ability to provide complex psychological information to staff in an accessible manner
• Ability to access, record and manage information and data using notes, databases and electronic records
• Ability to prioritise and manage clinical, managerial and professional workloads effectively and safely
• Well-developed IT skills, including entry and analysis of research data
• Skills in providing teaching and training to other professional groups
• Ability to work effectively within multidisciplinary teams and contribute to team functioning and team roles
• Knowledge of safeguarding, consent, confidentiality and NICE standards
• Knowledge of psychopathology and evidence-based treatments relevant to client group and specialist area
• Ability to travel to one outreach clinic per month
• Knowledge of and ability to work in the CYP Gender Service Specification model 2026 and consistent with the recommendations of the Cass Review

Experience

• Post-qualification experience as a specialist practitioner clinical psychologist providing direct clinical work, consultation, supervision and training
• Post-qualification experience undertaking consultation and service development
• Experience working with health and social care teams through supervision, reflective practice or team development work
• Formal teaching/presentation sessions to health and other professionals
• Experience of working with children and young people in either CAMHS or Paediatrics or both
• Experience of psychological debriefing
• Experience of proposing and implementing service development projects within own service area
• Record of publications in peer-reviewed, academic or professional journals/books
• Experience of working with older teens and young adults

Skills

• Demonstrates advanced interpersonal and communication skills in highly emotive situations
• Able to work collaboratively with colleagues across disciplines and agencies
• Commitment to professional development, supervision and reflective practice

We hope that you will decide to join us and become part of this exciting journey, helping us to shape our future together.

As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application to ensure we’re meeting our pledge.

The Trust is committed to investing in and caring for all our staff. We will support you in maintaining and improving your health and wellbeing, as well as your career development through management and training support - developing exceptional people for exceptional careers.

BFT is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults.

To comply with Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016 all applicants must be able to speak fluent English to an appropriate standard which will be assessed at Interview.

It is recommended that you are eligible under the UKVI points based system if you require sponsorship for a visa to work in the UK to avoid disappointment.

The Trust uses electronic new starter forms on Trac to collect personal details. Information collected is securely stored and used to set up the employee record on the ESR HR system.

By applying for this post you are agreeing to Bristol NHS Foundation Trust transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are offered a job, information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system.

Please be aware of scams – unless specified above, we will only communicate with you via @recruit.trac.jobs or nhs.net e-mails and we will never ask you for any payments.

IMPORTANT:

Please note that if you apply for a position with this Trust, you may be contacted via Trac or via email. This includes invites for job interviews. We therefore recommend that you regularly check your Trac account and email accounts. We may also contact you by texting the mobile number, if provided, on the application form.

Due to the high number of applications that are received for some posts we may close this vacancy before the advertised closing date.

Only those candidates who clearly demonstrate how they meet the person specification will be shortlisted for this job.

As a guide interviews should usually take place within 3 weeks of the closing date.

When providing employment reference details please provide correct work-related email addresses so references can be sought promptly when we are looking to progress your application. Your referee must all be known to you in a line manager or professional lead capacity.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.