Putting the Record Straight

Dear Editor

I was very surprised to read a letter in your Journal from John Rowan (1998), commenting on a paper published by two of my former trainees (Paul & Bluck 1997), which appears to have been printed with no opportunity for commentary from the authors.

I was also very concerned to see that John Rowan did not appear to have read, or at least understood, the article in terms of what it was attempting to convey. As the coordinator of the scheme in which these trainees participated, I think it is important that we get the chance to put the record straight. The scheme was initiated under the guidance of The Royal College of Psychiatrists in order that psychiatric trainees are all given the opportunity to participate in clinical practice which is supervised by a psychotherapist. There was no suggestion in the article that graduates from this scheme would then be skilled psychodynamic psychotherapists; however, some of the trainees may go on to apply for specialist psychotherapeutic training after participation in this scheme.

I would be very interested to hear John Rowan's early experiences in psychotherapy. Is he suggesting that anyone interested in working clinically with patients should have extensive, personal analysis prior to this? If so, perhaps he should make his views known to The Royal College of Psychiatrists. Certainly that would mean that Mental Health Services outside London would completely grind to a halt, as there is not sufficient psychoanalytic resource available in the provinces to provide for the vast number of trainees who would be affected.

My final point is perhaps one of greatest concern. John Rowan states: ‘I seriously wonder if the Uffculme Clinic has not gone collectively mad’. The Uffculme Clinic is a well-established NHS psychotherapy centre which provides a regional service for people residing in the West Midlands.

While I would be very happy for John Rowan to write direct to members of the Clinic to mention his concerns that we may have g