To describe the mentoring scheme for consultant child psychiatrists in Scotland and discuss findings of a qualitative questionnaire survey of all eligible consultants' use and satisfaction with the scheme.

All 21 respondents who had used the mentoring scheme thought it had been of great help. A third of respondents appointed since the start of the scheme had not used it. This could be because the consultants were not aware of the scheme, there were not enough mentors or mentoring was not included in consultants' job plans.

Formal mentoring is strongly recommended for all newly appointed consultants. Written recognition within job plans for both mentoring and being mentored would support mentoring arrangements.

To establish the prevalence of, and risk factors for, psychiatric symptoms in Ground Zero ironworkers. Questionnaires commonly used to screen for psychiatric symptoms were completed by 124 workers.

We have established the prevalence of screening positive for symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, panic attacks, generalised anxiety, depression and alcohol misuse. Among the risk factors were alcohol misuse, injury to or death of a family member, friend or co-worker at Ground Zero and one or more adverse life events since 9/11.

Ironworkers at Ground Zero tend to have significant psychiatric symptoms likely to be associated with the traumatic experience of working there during the clean-up operation. Risk factors for psychiatric symptoms were established.

We studied a representative cohort of 161 patients over 65 years of age, admitted non-electively to medical and geriatric wards of a large teaching hospital. Assessment for dementia was made using DSM–IV criteria. Psychiatric records were then examined, masked, to determine the involvement of psychogeriatric services.

There were 111 possible cases of dementia (69%), of which 30 (27%) had prior local psychogeriatric case notes; in 22 cases (20%) the patient had a prior psychiatric diagnosis of dementia. of 161 patients, 19 (12%) were seen by psychogeriatric services during their admission, of whom 12 (7%) were already known to psychiatric services. Dementia was diagnosed in 17 (complicated by delirium in 2), depression in 1 and hypomania in 1. Many patients with a possible diagnosis of dementia had no psychiatric assessment.

Psychogeriatric assessment was performed on a minority of older people admitted to medical care. This population may include older people with undiagnosed dementia and unmet psychiatric care needs.

To investigate whether children are in contact with their forensic in-patient parents and whether they are offered support regarding their parent's mental health and offending issues. A questionnaire was completed on in-patients in two medium secure units.

Only 69 of the in-patients surveyed had children aged 18 or under, but only 25 had contact with their children. Support was offered in 14 cases and accepted in 10. Many patients had lost contact with their children.

Children of forensic in-patients appear to be a neglected group, with limited attempts made to support them. In the absence of specific difficulties of their own, the onus may be on forensic mental health services to initiate contact.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) and the Royal College of Psychiatrists have each issued guidance on the use of antipsychotics for behavioural and psychiatric symptoms of dementia (BPSD). We sent all old age psychiatrists an anonymous questionnaire asking for their opinions on these documents and for details of their use of antipsychotics for BPSD.

The response rate was 202 out of 648 (31.2%). the two documents, though similar in content provoked very different responses, with the College guidance being much more favourably received. All respondents prescribed antipsychotics for BPSD, most commonly quetiapine.

When prescribing antipsychotics for behavioural and psychiatric symptoms of dementia, psychiatrists should take both NICE and College guidelines into account and use their clinical judgement.

We measured the use of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) over 3 months in England in 2006 and compared that with studies from 1999 and 2002. Questionnaires were completed by hospital ECT staff and returned by post with data collected prospectively on ECT use from National Health Service organisations.

Two-thirds (56 of 76) of the trusts providing ECT at 109 clinics responded. the number of clinics providing ECT and the number of patients receiving ECT has declined. There has been an increase in the proportion of people receiving ECT when detained under the Mental Health Act 1983.

The number of ECT clinics is likely to continue to decrease and psychiatrists may have decreasing experience of treating patients with ECT.

To evaluate the introduction of service user-led teaching on experiences of psychiatric services and interview style into the educational programme of trainee psychiatrists. A ten-session programme was devised and delivered in conjunction with a local service user organisation. Twelve trainees underwent the training programme. Evaluation was undertaken through analysis of the feedback forms completed by the trainees.

No significant difference was found between service user-led and psychiatrist-led sessions in content, relevance or presentation.

The study demonstrated that service user-led teaching can be integrated into a trainee's education programme without reducing the perceived quality or relevance of their education.