Do consultant psychiatrists believe that psychotherapy supervision should be an integral part of the training of the junior doctors? If they do, when, where, for how long and by whom do they feel that supervision should be done? In the South West Thames Region we circulated a questionnaire to all general psychiatric consultants in an attempt to answer these questions. We report on some results of our survey and raise important immediate issues which would seem a subject for debate. The major issue is the debate about specialist psychotherapists versus psychodynamic psychiatrists. Although the College seems to favour strongly that psychotherapy teaching for general psychiatrists should be done by psychotherapy specialists, the ‘consumer’ appears to have a conflicting view, at least in our region.

Seclusion, locking up patients in isolation, has a long history in psychiatry (Hunter and MacAlpine, 1963). John Conolly (1856), for example, though an advocate of non-restraint, defended the practice: ‘That salutory exclusion of causes of excitement from an already irritated brain, has been so unjustly stigmatized as solitary imprisonment’. Even so, many of his contemporaries reviled seclusion. Indeed, experience over the years has shown that such limitations of patients' liberty need to be carried out under scrutiny, otherwise abuses may take place. Patients who give staff trouble may be secluded as a punishment or kept in seclusion for long periods without proper attention. For this reason, therefore, doctors need always to take particular care to see that this form of management is carefully regulated.

I am very pleased to have this opportunity to share with you my experiences as a trainee at the Maudsley Hospital. This training differs from many in that I am a part-time Senior Registrar and a part-time mother. Unlike most children, mine actually opened the doors to my professional aspirations. I became a trainee in a specialty whose clinical approach not only corresponded to the one I wanted to practise, but one which also promised to increase my understanding of human behaviour.

‘The Treatment of Anxiety’ is the theme of a seminar to be held at the Priory Hospital on 23 June 1983, with Sir Desmond Pond in the Chair. Topics include ‘The diagnosis of anxiety’ (Professor Anthony Clare, St Bartholomew's Hospital); ‘Are tranquillisers harmful?’ (Dr Desmond Kelly, The Priory Hospital); 'Stress control for professionals' (Dr Robert Sharpe, The Institute of Behaviour Therapy); and ‘The management of anxiety in general practice’ (Dr David Wheatley, The General Practitioner Research Group). Further information: Dr Desmond Kelly, The Priory Hospital, Priory Lane, London SW15 5JJ.

Drugs are prescribed by doctors, dispensed by pharmacists and administered by nurses. Each profession has an obligation to the patient to ensure that the process is carried out safely, efficiently and accurately. A number of rules and guidelines have been formulated for each profession to ensure that this takes place, yet each profession does not work in isolation and it is important that nurses, doctors and pharmacists are aware of the obligations imposed on them and their colleagues to satisfy the requirements where this is law, and advice where the rules are not imposed by statute.

Council asked the Special (Political Abuse of Psychiatry) Committee to consider allegations of the political abuse of psychiatry in South Africa. The Special Committee considered all documentation available to them and one member of the Committee was able to make a brief on-site inspection of facilities. At its meeting in January 1983, Council endorsed the following Report and it was agreed that this should be published in the Bulletin. I was also asked to send the Report to College members in South Africa, and this is being done.