Clinical Gender SpecialistNHS

Job summary

We are looking for a Band 6 clinician to join our highly skilled MDT based at The Laurels Gender Identity Clinic, in Exeter.

We support Trans and non-binary adults to receive treatment tailored to their unique experiences of gender incongruence, offering specialist gender assessments and treatment plans, specific gender focused psychological therapy, speech and language therapy, specialist medical consultations, and surgical referrals.

This is a truly specialist area, offering unique care to a diverse and important population of clients. The work is interesting, rewarding, and can genuinely affect peoples lives for the better.

Devon Partnership NHS Trust is growing as we establish ourselves us as one of the leading providers of mental health services in the country.

Working as part of Devon Partnership NHS Trust, you will make a difference to peoples lives from the moment you start.

Main duties of the job

Clinical Gender Specialists are accredited healthcare professionals with a background in Nursing (Mental Health and/or General), Occupational Therapy or Social Work. They act as the patients primary point of contact with the GIC, provide basic information about interventions and the care process and oversee and facilitate timely progress through the patients treatment plan. They liaise and share information with other clinicians involved in the patients care (e.g. Psychology, Voice and Communication Therapy or Specialist Medical Practitioners) as well as the patients GP. When required, Clinical Gender Specialists also deliver supportive guidance throughout their care.

When necessary, Clinical Gender Specialists will be expected to liaise with external agencies such as Mental Health Teams, Social Services or other specialists (Neurodiversity Services or Eating Disorders). They will also take part in professional meetings surrounding clinical care of patients with other members of the patients team.

Clinical Gender Specialistsare also involved in the assessment of patients as they enter our clinic.

Job description

• Good communication with service users (and with their agreement, carers and significant others.) To communicate in a highly skilled and sensitive manner with service user who present to the clinic. This may include people who have specific difficulties in understanding and/or communicating and who may be highly emotionally.
• Other health professionals as appropriate and multidisciplinary team colleagues. To work closely with colleagues in other services, or GPs, and other health and social care staff. Contributing to the teams engagement including liaising with a wide range of other professionals and agencies.
• To communicate with a wide range of health & social care staff in other services in a highly skilled and sensitive manner regarding the complex and sensitive information concerning the assessment, formulation and treatment plans of people under the services care.
• External Agencies such as the Police, housing, employment etc.
• Contribute to the safe and effective day to day operations of the service including the handling of clinical enquiries.
• Provide a high standard of written and verbal communication that is clear and in line with professional documentation standards.
• Promote social inclusion regardless of age, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation or disability.
• Undertake risk assessments and determine the appropriate course of action. When appropriate will seek consultation with senior clinical leads in the service.
• Undertake initial assessments and information gathering to inform an ongoing diagnostic assessment.
• Undertake and continuously re-evaluate bio-psycho-social assessments and contribute to the development of a working formulation and diagnosis, in consultation with senior clinical staff, and the multi-disciplinary team.
• Have an awareness of your own clinical competencies, knowledge base and experience, and ensure that you update and practice within this, seeking support if required.
• The post holder will need to have a wide range of planning and organisational skills including but not limited to:
• Carrying a specialist caseload of service users, and providing practical advice to them, family members, carers and professionals.
• Organising their own day to day working patterns in a timely and effective way taking the wider needs of the team into consideration
• Ensure that interventions are planned in an integrated and co-ordinated manner, this may include liaison with external agencies.
• Liaising and planning with other professionals that provide all other interventions for people who access our service.
• Must be IT competent.
• Organise meetings, including non-CPA professional and risk meetings.
• The post holder must demonstrate a willingness to engage in the specialist training in Gender Identity Disorders making appropriate use of supervision.
• To maintain appropriate accurate and up to date client records
• Ensure that clinical practice is developed and maintained in line with the latest research and evidence base.
• Ensure that designated caseload is well managed and that care and treatment is provided in line with practice standards
• Understand social factors that impact upon the mental health of people experiencing gender incongruence
• To consider the holistic needs of service users and identify actions to address these needs within the context of a jointly agreed and negotiated care plan.
• Ensure that all interventions have clear outcomes and that these are taken into consideration when sourcing the resources to best meet the individuals needs.
• Deliver care in line with service protocols, evidence based practice and employ engagement and therapeutic skills that are appropriate to the clinical situation presented.
• Provide specialist advice to referrers/other multi-disciplinary staff in relation to the care of individuals.
• Enable communication and engagement of individuals and their significant others to ensure that they have a voice about the services they receive and how these are developed. This may include engagement of advocacy services.
• Ensure that appropriate action is taken to safeguarding adults and children. This may include contributing to safeguarding meetings.
• Ensuring timely and accurate documentation of all clinical activity in line with professional guidance and best practice.
• Practice in a way that actively minimises dependency and promotes well-being.
• Contribute to clinical governance arrangements in order to ensure the quality of the service provided, this will include ensuring performance targets are met.
• The post holder will be responsible for their own professional actions ensuring:
• Engagement in the development of Protocols for the gender service as guided by line management
• Involvement in the implementation of local systems and process in your own area of work
• That they follow the policies of the Devon Partnership NHS Trust and all other relevant polices.
• That they are working within the standards expected by the clinic in relation to working with clients and referring clients to other services as appropriate.
• Ensuring that they are working within the guidelines and expectations of the relevant professional body supporting their professional qualification.
• That they reflect upon and develop own practice and knowledge using supervision, support and training.
• Promotion of the values and principles underpinning best practice.

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.

We are committed to developing a culture of coproduction, involving patients, families & carers in everything we do

Our values

We not only recruit based on qualifications & experience - we recruit individuals who possess & demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. These 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 conditions, neurodiversity or learning disabilities. We are a Disability Confident Leader.