The Royal College of Psychiatrists was asked in November 1976 to consider the question of the appropriateness of recognizing psychiatric wards for nurse training by the General Nursing Council for England and Wales where it was the practice on such wards to isolate patients in old-style padded cells. This request led to considerable discussion concerning the management of disturbed, violent and dangerous patients, and the following comments were produced to define the issues raised.

Council have given consideration to the organization of rotational training schemes in psychiatry at senior house officer and registrar level and the assessment of trainees. Council are conscious of the wide range of opinion held within the profession about the content of general professional (i.e. pre-MRCPsych) training and the need for any guidance offered to be sufficiently flexible to accommodate a variety of viewpoints. Nonetheless, it is felt that reasonably clear advice can be given about the main components of general professional training. It is hoped that this report will be helpful to psychiatric tutors and others responsible for organizing training schemes. The College has already issued guidance on some of the matters with which this report is concerned in its pamphlet Educational Programmes for Trainees in Psychiatry and in an article entitled ‘Approval Visits: Guidelines on Criteria and Facilities for Training’ (Bulletin, September 1978, pp 158–59).

The Mental Health Act 1959 empowers a Crown Court (but not a Magistrates' Court) to make a Restriction Order when a Hospital Order is made and if it appears to the Court, having regard to the nature of the offence, the antecedents of the offender and the risk of his committing further offences if released, that it is necessary for the protection of the public to do so. The Judge must hear oral evidence from one of the doctors recommending the Hospital Order.

The MRCPsych is now firmly established as the normal requirement for a career in psychiatry in this country. The need for other medical specialists to acquire psychiatric knowledge and skills raises the question of a possible demand for a second type of College examination. The Court of Electors have been considering some of the arguments for and against a College Diploma and would welcome further discussion in the College on this.

The years 1980 and 1981 have given the North-West Division a stimulating variety of influences experienced in the make-up of the Executive Committee and the interaction within the membership, Inceptors to Fellows in the ordinary meetings and two Annual General Meetings.