Gordon Parker

This article is about the mental health researcher. For the businessman, see Gordon R. Parker.

Gordon Parker is Scientia Professor of Psychiatry at the University of New South Wales, specializing in clinical research in mental health in particular depression & bipolar disorder.

Professor Parker has an MB BS Syd and a MD 1978, PhD 1983, DSc 1997 from UNSW and is a FRANZCP ^[1] On 14 June 2010, Professor Parker became an Officer of the Order of Australia. ^[2]

He is the Executive Director of the Black Dog Institute, an organization based at the Prince of Wales Hospital in Randwick, New South Wales, that focuses on the treatment of mood disorders, in particular clinical depression and bipolar disorder.^[3]. While he was director of the Black Dog Institute, the Institute told at least one person who approached it for help with depression "no, we can't help you". It is not known how many other people suffering depression were summarily rejected while Mr Parker was director.

Past positions have included:

• Head, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, 1983-2002
• Director of Division of Psychiatry, Prince of Wales Hospital and Prince Henry Hospital
• Part-time Research Director, Institute of Mental Health (Singapore), 1998-2002
• Member, International Advisory Board of the DSM-IV Task Force for Mood Disorders, and Personality Disorders
• Member NSW Guardianship Board, and NSW Administrative Appeals Tribunal

Professor Parker is a leading critic of the current unitary classification of major depressive disorder in the current DSM IV-TR paradigm, and has proposed the revival of the old diagnosis of melancholia.^[4] Professor Parker is the Peer Review Consultant to The Lawson Clinic, an independent world first depression & bipolar clinic which has adopted the Black Dog Institute's sub-typing Model of Depression. ^[5]

See also

• Journeys with the Black Dog

References

1. ^ http://notes.med.unsw.edu.au/PSYCHWeb.nsf/page/showpersonlist?OpenDocument&staffid=7401443 UNSW Position Details
2. ^ Officer of the Order of Australia
3. ^ ISI Web of Knowledge
4. ^ Barrett, R (17 March 2010). "Push for melancholia to be listed as illness". abc.net.au. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/03/17/2848524.htm. Retrieved 18 March 2010. 
5. ^ The Lawson Clinic

External links

• Black Dog Institute

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