The Approval Exercise in which psychiatric hospitals and units are approved for general professional training has recently completed the first round of visits to general psychiatric units. The present phase includes a continuing review of both fully and provisionally approved hospitals and first visits to subspecialty units in mental handicap, child and adolescent psychiatry, and forensic psychiatry. The announcement of an impending visit is likely to engender apprehension rather than a feeling of empathy with the task of the Convenor and his panel, but a description of the Convenor's role should dispel any misconception that it consists of a frolicsome succession of expense-accounted jaunts.