I was appointed clinical tutor at Knowle Hospital seven years ago with little idea of what my responsibilities would be. From the College literature (which I have not found very helpful) it seemed I was responsible in a more or less indirect way for the psychiatric education of most of those working in the hospital as well as of those local general practitioners who might refer patients here. In addition, all medical students in the place are my responsibility – a considerable number of young people. To complicate this task, our academic unit had moved out of Knowle two years before my arrival and new trainees were advised that Knowle Hospital (usually described as a ‘traditional Victorian mental hospital’) would be closing in the near future as modern community services were provided. Finally, the advent of proper management, welcomed by me, was spoiled by an indifference to psychiatric education which bordered on absurdity.