Fear et al ^{Reference Fear, Scheepers, Ansell, Richards and Winterbottom1} describe the Fair Horizons model of service organisation. It should be noted that this model has yet to be tested or indeed actually implemented. It is unfortunate that the authors do not refer to the need for evaluation after this model is put into operation. I am sure we all look forward to reading a report of an independent evaluation in due course.

Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it. I remember being at a meeting at the Royal College of Psychiatrists on the day the Department of Health confirmed that old age psychiatry would be recognised as a specialty separate from general psychiatry. Old age psychiatry arose because age-blind generic services neglected the particular needs of older patients – and because late-onset illness is or may be clinically different. Discrimination is bad but specialisation is good.