Mental Health Review Tribunals were introduced in the Mental Health Act (1959) to safeguard psychiatric patients against unjustified detention in hospital. The powers of tribunals form “an important part of the fabric of civil liberties” (Wood, 1974). However, in exercising their prime function of preventing unjust detention, tribunals in practice also have to take into account patients' clinical needs and the protection of the public. Further weight was added to this complex burden of decision making following a judgement by the European Court of Human Rights in 1981 which upheld the right of all detained patients to a periodic judicial review of their detention. As a result of this judgement the Mental Health Act (1983) extended tribunal powers to include the release of offender patients sentenced by Crown courts and given hospital orders with restrictions on discharge. Such individuals may have been convicted of grave criminal offences, and their discharge or transfer from hospital would otherwise require the consent of the Home Office.

Shiwach & Murray (1986) have outlined why research experience is desirable for trainee psychiatrists. The majority will use their experience to gain a better understanding of publications in professional journals; however, only a minority will become full-time researchers. Although most trainees have a positive attitude to research (Davidson & Abou-Saleh, 1987; Burford, 1987) only a few manage to complete a project before the second part of the Membership examination (Kendell, 1984; Davidson & Abou-Saleh, 1987; Burford, 1987). Kendell has highlighted some of the difficulties encountered on the Edinburgh MPhil degree course. He fears that “rising standards of the College's Membership examination” might deter even some of the more determined registrars to take on an extra commitment while preparing for the MRCPsych examination.

This paper has been prepared by the North East Thames Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Advisory Sub-Committee (NETCAP) in order to draw the attention of the Region to deficiencies in consultant child psychiatric services in the Region. It sets out below the population of each district and the current consultant manpower. These figures have been obtained from the district general managers and in some cases corrected by the local consultants.

There has been a steady growth in the number of community psychiatric nurses (CPNs) working in this country over the last few years. Despite this there are still relatively few community child psychiatric nurses (CCPNs) and those that there are often work in relative isolation. It is difficult to find any articles concerning community child psychiatric nursing, either anecdotal accounts of individual practice or evaluations of a particular service.

Suicide rates in the Eastbourne Health District have risen dramatically over the last ten years. The present study looks at some of the factors which may influence these rates and compares these with other health districts in the South East Thames Region. Suggestions for further research are made.

Consent to a transaction has three basic components. These are: the transaction – its nature; understanding; and response, i.e. the consent itself.

The topic of homosexuality has often aroused strong opinions among the public and professionals alike. In a study organised by the journal Modern Medicine in 1969, 17, 741 physicians in the USA responded to a questionnaire. Of those who stated their speciality, 8% were psychiatrists, 26% general practitioners and 10% general surgeons. Questions sought opinions on abortion, legalisation of marijuana, legalisation of homosexual practice and other topics; 92% of psychiatrists [n 2,041] were in favour of legalising homosexual practices. The three specialities least in favour were general practitioners 59% [n 6,927], general surgeons 59% [n 2,580] and orthopaedic surgeons 58% [n 731]. The sample was self-selected and this may have introduced a respondent bias. The data were collected nearly 20 years ago when homosexuality was still seen as a psychiatric illness in the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manuals I and II.

The first Pan African Conference in 1961 made a number of recommendations to guide the development of psychiatric services in emergent African countries. The purpose of this paper is to show that the application of these recommendations, admittedly serendipitously at times, led to a considerable measure of success in Zimbabwe.

A previous article in the Bulletin describes the ‘BTC’ (Been to Canada) scheme sponsored by the Nova Scotia Department of Health to bring psychiatric trainees to Canada in order to undertake a year's clinical work in addition to ongoing medical education under the auspices of the Department of Psychiatry at Dalhousie University. Over the years the scheme has attracted a number of graduates, some of whom have been prompted to stay on and develop rewarding careers. The original article by Munro and colleagues (1987) describes the programme from the sponsor's perspective and might well be complemented by this account from a BTC graduate who has now returned to the National Health Service.

Recent Government policy has encouraged initiatives aimed at preventing the spread of drug misuse and improving treatment for those who already suffer the effects of dependence. There are probably up to 100,000 opiate addicts in the UK and dependence on prescribed drugs such as benzodiazepines presents a problem of increasing medico-legal significance. All doctors have a responsibility to ensure that drug misusers are offered treatment and should be prepared to assist them with withdrawal from drugs if requested to do so. Many doctors still fight shy of becoming involved, often through fear of contravening the controlling legislation.

The Somali Counselling Project was established in London's East End in December 1986 with the support of a grant from the City Parochial Foundation. It offers social support and psychosocial counselling to Somalis and other culturally related peoples from the Horn of Africa who are living in the United Kingdom. Its aims are: to advise on social, administrative and financial problems; to help clients make effective use of mainstream health services; to prevent and treat emotional disorder; and to provide administrative and emotional assistance to those with uncertain immigration status.

Since the establishment of a separate Royal College of Psychiatrists and membership examination, psychiatry has been progressively acquiring a special identity of its own that bridges the social and biological sciences. The University of Leicester Psychiatric Training Scheme has responded to the recently revised Membership Examination by developing a two year modular academic programme, which complements the traditional medical (diagnostic) organisation of teaching by incorporating social and psychological views of the subject, which reflect the lessons of modern psychiatric research. It is hoped that the development of a more eclectic approach to the subject and its practice will complement the multidisciplinary and growing community orientation of the profession. We describe here our first attempts to provide an academic programme that responds sympathetically to these important developments.

There appears to be a growing public interest in “holistic” and alternative medicine which can be seen as a reaction to the scientific–medical role (Mechanic, 1978) of a conventional medicine which often fails when confronted by emotional or psychosomatic problems, and to fears, by the public, about the side-effects of therapeutic drugs.