Rafey Faruqui is quite right that appropriate workloads and good working conditions are essential ingredients for maintaining good recruitment and retention of consultant psychiatrists (Psychiatric Bulletin, November 2003 correspondence, 27, 437). The question that my editorial, ‘ Locums - and the light at the end of the tunnel’, tried to address is: how can those things be achieved when there is such an imbalance in supply and demand, causing work overload for many psychiatrists (Psychiatric Bulletin, August 2003, 27, 281–282)? Dr Faruqui agrees that reliance on a locum workforce is ‘ pathological’, and no kind of a solution. In that respect, the letter by Skudder, of Psyche UK Ltd (Psychiatric Bulletin, November 2003 correspondence, 27, 437), which grossly misrepresents what I wrote, invites the question of whether a declaration of interest of a locum agency should have been made.

The recent expansion of medical schools will not be felt for more than a decade at consultant level. Meanwhile, demands on psychiatrists working in traditional ways will very likely continue to grow. It is hopeful, therefore, to see so many items appearing in the Bulletin about how roles and working practices of psychiatrists can change to reduce their case-loads and improve working conditions.

The College is addressing this complex issue, and consulting its members on the options through the College website (www.rcpsych.ac.uk) and the Bulletin. It is an issue of crucial importance to the future of the profession and mental health services. Therefore, the views of specialist registrars will be particularly important.