Dr Dave Barker

Dr. Dave Barker is the Governance and Clinical Lead at Gladstones Clinic, where he oversees all medical admissions and is part of the Governance Group that ensures best practices in the treatment of addiction. In addition, he holds the position of Deputy Regional Medical Director (South West) and Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist at Cygnet Healthcare.

Dr. Barker's medical journey began in 1992 when he trained in General Psychiatry at University College London (UCL). He became a member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in 1995. By 2004, he had completed higher specialist training (CCST) as a Clinical Research Fellow and Lecturer in North and East London, specialising in Forensic Psychiatry. His academic pursuits also led him to earn a Masters in Medical Anthropology from UCL in 1998 and a Masters in Philosophy and History of Science from the University of Bristol in 2019.

Throughout his career, Dr. Barker has held notable positions and contributed significantly to academia. He was a Visiting Fellow and Lecturer at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience at King’s College London. His research has been widely recognised, with publications in prestigious journals such as the British Journal of Psychiatry, the Journal of the American Medical Association, Archives of General Psychiatry, and Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology.

In June 2017, Dr. Barker joined Cygnet Hospital Taunton and became the Medical Director in September of the same year. He is responsible for 16 male acute beds on Sycamore Ward and serves as the CPD Lead for the South West Region. His extensive expertise and leadership roles highlight his dedication to advancing psychiatric care and treatment.