Editorial

This issue begins with two important contributions on nursing, by Julia Fabricius and Isabel Menzies-Lyth, both psychoanalysts with a longstanding commitment to the profession. These papers arose out of a conference for Nurse Managers which was held at the Tavistock Clinic to address some of the issues surrounding the current crisis in nursing. Increasingly, nurses are finding a voice within the APP and we are hoping to publish a series of papers on the contribution of psychoanalytic thinking to nursing in a variety of contexts.

The next paper, by Paul Barrows, illustrates the continuities in the psychotherapeutic treatment of children and adults, while Joan Hunter gives a vivid account of work with an elderly patient.

There are two non-clinical papers, the first by Andrew Soutter and Antony Garelick on the role and usefulness of pre-assessment questionnaires. The second, by Marco Chiesa and Peter Fonagy, describes a project concerned with the changing paradigm of psychotherapy research.

Such a range of fascinating contributions should surely suggest that the Journal is in a fit and healthy state. In some ways of course it is, with authors continuing to work hard to produce papers of a high standard and of real contemporary relevance. The Book Reviews section continues its outstandingly useful role.

We know that APP members value the Journal highly. However, we face increasing competition from new journals, both for papers and for an established place within institutional libraries from whence we can have real influence and authority. I would like to encourage readers to consider submitting their work to the Journal: the in-flow of papers is what keeps the Journal alive, and the Editorial Board will endeavour to make it a useful experience for authors. In addition, we would welcome feedback from readers about the Journal and suggestions for papers, special issues, and changes in content or format. I think this present issue is a particularly strong and interesting one,