The College's Manpower Committee, chaired by Dr Fiona Caldicott, has recently debated the case for setting new norms for general psychiatrists to meet increased clinical demand caused by changing expectations of community care, the new Mental Health Act and the rising numbers of elderly mentally ill and patients with alcohol and drug problems. One view was that such an exercise would be a waste of time, owing to uncertainties about the implementation of 'Short’ and also because many districts have not yet reached the norm of one (whole-time equivalent) consultant to 40,000 population agreed with the Department of Health in 1975. It was agreed that the Manpower Committee should first of all try to help consultants in undermanned districts to overcome obstacles frustrating local initiatives to increase the establishment of general psychiatrists. Letters should be addressed to Dr Caldicott at the College address.